| Course Objective

The course objective is to demonstrate the re-approach to an unsolved homicide investigation in an objective way through the re-examination of the victim, solvability factors, and indicators that allow us to hypothesize association, motive, and method of operation. We will also show on a case-by-case basis the strategic approach to an unsolved homicide by objectively reviewing the crime scene, victimology, evidence and autopsy review to establish a new probative path to explore.

We examine through case reviews how the scientific method can be applied to both active and unsolved homicides to identify hypothesis through examination and research and later theory through the analysis of the evidence and experimentation that will point to a likely offender association.

The program will also demonstrate the new forensic procedures that increase the likely hood of DNA evidence recovery and the use of genotyping, phenotyping and familial database searching to identify family members of unknown DNA profiles.

| Course Topics Include

(1) Discuss Current Crime Rates and Clearance Rates as They Apply to Homicides in the United States

(2) Significance of UCR Reporting and the Use of Demographics to Develop Crime Patterns and the Allocation of Resources

(3) Define and Discuss Unresolved Homicide Investigation by Categories of Cold Case, Inactive Homicide and Exceptional Scenarios

(4) Organization of the Case File by Chronological Occurrence

(5) Evaluation of the Geographic Profile Around the Murder Scene and the Use of VICAP to Identify Similar Indicators Between Offenses

(6) Review and Discuss the 6 Factors of Risk-Assessment and Behavioral Analysis of Victimology

(7) Using the Scientific Method to Identify Variables in a Case Review to Develop New Theory Regarding Motive and Method of Operation

(8) The Significance of Applying Indicators When Reviewing Crime Scene Photographs to Establish a Likely Association Between the Victim and Offender

(9) Identifying Causal Factors That Result in Homicide Cases Not Being Resolved

(10) Establishing a Point Value Computer-Based Tracking System to Manage Multiple Unsolved Cases

(11) Importance of Working With the Coroner, Medical Examiner and Prosecutor’s Office

(12) Updated Forensic Procedures to Recover Trace DNA From Challenging Substrates

(13) Discuss the Use of CODIS, Databases, Genetic Genealogy and Familial DNA Searching to

Identify Relatives of an Unknown DNA Profile.

Note: Case reviews will be discussed each day using different victimology scenarios