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Technical Programs in Crime Scene Management

The Crime Scene Management Program focuses on crime scene investigations and the collection, preservation, packaging, transportation, and documentation of physical evidence left at the crime scene. The program is an extension of LSUE's nationally recognized associate degree program in fire and emergency services and was also developed in conjunction with the associate degree  program in criminal justice.

Professionals responding to crimes may be crime scene investigators, arson investigators, or evidence recovery technicians. Regardless of the job title, the forensic specialists handling crime scenes must be well versed in all areas of recognition, documentation, and recovery of physical evidence and must know how to preserve evidence for laboratory processing. 

Students in the program learn the importance of correctly handling evidence from the outset of an investigation. An entire criminal investigation can hinge on the initial responder properly identifying and securing the scene to restrict access and prevent evidence destruction. Investigators must be able to collect both physical evidence and testimonies from witnesses to prove that a crime has been committed, to establish key elements of a crime, to link suspects to the crime, to identify a victim, and to exonerate the innocent.

The technical programs are composed only of technical courses and do not include general education courses that are required in associate degree and other certificate programs. However, courses completed in technical diploma, certificate, and competency area programs may be applied toward associate degrees and certificates.

All course work in the program must be completed with a grade of "C" or better. Additionally, course substitutions will be highly restricted and can be approved only by the Head, Division of Business and Technology.

Technical Diploma: Crime Scene Management

Students who complete the Certificate of Technical Studies: Evidence Recovery Program can apply those credits toward the Technical Diploma: Crime Scene Management. The diploma program includes criminal justice courses in interviewing and interrogation, offering testimony in legal proceedings, and writing reports. Students can also expand their knowledge of chemical, biological, and radiological evidence and learn to use computers to sketch crime scenes. They take courses that pull together all that they have learned so that they can serve as crime scene managers.

Course

Course Title

Sem. Hrs.

CTS: Evidence Recovery Technology *

 

* 33

Criminal Justice 2310

Interviewing and Interrogation 

3

Criminal Justice 2320

Testifying for Criminal Justice Professionals

3

Criminal Justice 2300

Criminal Justice Report Writing

3

Fire Science  2510 or Criminal Justice 2153  

Fire and Emergency Law or  Criminal and Related Law

3

Forensic Science 2242

Chemical, Biological and Radiological Evidence

3

Forensic Science 2238

 Crime Scene Computer Sketching

3

Forensic Science 2239  

Crime Scene Investigation

3

Forensic Science 2240 Crime Scene Management  

Total Semester Hours

 

57

* See below for the curricula for the Certificate of Technical Studies in Medical Records and Health Information Technology.

 

Certificate of Technical Studies: Evidence Recovery Technology

Students in the Certificate of Technical Studies: Evidence Recovery Technology Program will complete any one of the four Technical Competency Areas and take courses that will give them professional expertise in collecting and processing a variety of evidence including photographs of the scene, physical evidence, fingerprints, other impressions left at the scene, and biological evidence.

Course Course Title Sem. Hrs.

TCA in Arson Investigation/Evidence Technology , or
TCA in Hazardous Materials/Evidence Technology, or
TCA in Criminal Justice/Evidence Technology, or
TCA in Security Management/Evidence Technology

  15
Forensic Science 2231     Crime Scene Photography 3
Forensic Science 2232     Forensic Digital Imaging and Photography  3
Forensic Science 2233     Physical Evidence  3
Forensic Science 2234     Fingerprints Recovery, Classification, Preservation 3
Forensic Science 2241     Impression Analysis 3
Forensic Science 2236     Biological Evidence 3
Total Semester Hours   33


Technical Competency Areas

The program includes curricula in four Technical Competency Areas (TCAs).  Students may then apply credits from TCAs toward a technical certificate and then apply the certificate credits toward the Technical Diploma in Crime Scene Management.

TCA: Criminal Justice/Evidence Technology

    The criminal justice/evidence technician is usually a police officer who specializes in such diverse fields as chemical and microscopic analysis, handwriting and fingerprint identification, or crime scene processing. Evidence technicians help secure, document, process, and transport evidence while keeping meticulous records of the chain of evidence.

Course Course Title Sem. Hrs.
Criminal Justice 2151     Criminal Investigation  3
Forensic Science 2230     Introduction to Forensic Science  3
Criminal Justice 1107     Introduction to Criminal Justice  3
Criminal Justice 2131     Police Process 3
Criminal Justice 2132     Judicial Process 3
Total Semester Hours   15

TCA: Security Management/Evidence Technology

    The security management/evidence technician works in businesses and government agencies to protect against fire, theft, vandalism, terrorism, and illegal activity. These technicians protect their employer's investment, enforce laws on the property, and deter criminal activity. For example, in factories, laboratories, government buildings, data processing centers, and military bases, security officers protect information, products, computer codes, and defense secrets and check the credentials of people and vehicles entering and leaving the premises.

Course Course Title Sem. Hrs.
Forensic Science 2230     Introduction to Forensic Science 3
Criminal Justice 2151     Criminal Investigation 3
Management 2705        Security Management 3
Forensic Science 2000     Hazards, Disasters, and the Environment 3
Forensic Science 2010     Fundamentals: Emergency Management 3
Total Semester Hours   15

TCA: Hazardous Materials/Evidence Technology

    Responsibilities of the hazardous materials evidence technician include identifying, removing, packaging, transporting, and disposing of various hazardous materials, such as asbestos, lead, biological, chemical, radioactive and nuclear materials. These materials can be from a terrorist attack, criminal activity, or public or industrial accident. 

Course Course Title Sem. Hrs.
Forensic Science 1102     Hazardous Materials 3
Forensic Science 1103     Advanced Hazardous Materials  3
Forensic Science 2002    Hazwoper Management  3
Forensic Science 2230     Introduction to Forensic Science 3
Criminal Justice 2151     Criminal Investigation 3
Total Semester Hours   15

TCA: Arson Investigation/Evidence Technology

    The arson investigation/evidence technician secures, documents, and investigates all fire scenes for evidence of arson. The technician is also responsible for the transportation and proper storage of all fire evidence.

Course Course Title Sem. Hrs.
Forensic Science 1101    Principles of Combustion 3
Forensic Science 2230     Introduction to Forensic Science 3
Criminal Justice 2151    Criminal Investigation 3
Forensic Science 2235     Principles of Arson Investigation 3
Forensic Science 2237    Advanced Arson Investigation  3
Total Semester Hours   15

Click here to go the the LSUE Fire and Emergency Services Web Pages.

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