Real-World Crime Scene Investigations Brought to Life in Midland University Classroom
As someone who learned quickly that real-world experiences were much different from those in the classroom, professor Catherine Link is working to ensure Midland University Criminal Justice majors are prepared for what they might encounter in their profession.
Students in Link’s Crime Scene Investigations class (CJU 215) are getting glimpses into a world that can be hard to comprehend if unprepared.
“My goal is to give students who are looking into a career in criminal justice, or forensics, a better understanding of what they are getting into,” Link said. “When I got my degree in forensic science, I had one idea of how it would be, and when I got into the real world, it was very different.
“I want students to understand reality and know they are dealing with tough situations. I want to teach them how to handle a crime scene properly and when they are in that position, they will have this training and experience.”
Link spent more than seven years with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. She then had a three-year career with the Nebraska State Patrol as a fingerprint and evidence technician.
In an ever-evolving profession, Link is confident that having this knowledge will help students in a variety of career paths, even those not involved in law enforcement.
“Even if you aren’t interested in forensics, there are different ways you can use this knowledge,” she said. “As a lawyer, it helps to have an idea of how crimes are processed, and it will help you know which questions to ask.”
As a sophomore Criminal Justice major, Hannah Bowling is excited to be exposed to different opportunities that may influence her career decisions down the road. “After college, my main focus is to be a patrol officer,” she said. “However, If I were to advance in the police force, I think being a detective or investigator would be very fun and interesting. With this class, I’m learning what aspects of a crime I could encounter and how to deal with a crime scene specifically.”
The class, offered each fall semester to students at any grade level, digs into the background of what it takes to successfully navigate through a crime scene. As the class progresses, Link will focus on different areas of a crime scene, including fingerprint dusting, impressions, casting, trace evidence collection, and glass and fracture patterns. They will also work with bloodstain pattern analysis and bullet trajectory patterns. Link provides materials to student-athletes on the shotgun sports team, and they will shoot at those materials from different distances and angles for the class to analyze.
“I try to give them a basic understanding of if they stepped into a crime scene, how would they process it?” Link said. “Eventually, we will have a mock crime scene room where they will work on photographing, collecting evidence, packaging, dusting, and lifting prints. By the end of the semester, they should be able to process an entire scene.”
The perception that investigations can be solved quickly is a misnomer, and Link stresses there are many details that must be ironed out before a case is complete. “You watch CSI on television, and they solve everything in an hour,” she said. “But this is very detailed work and involves lots of paperwork and documentation, and that’s what I try to stress to them.”
Bowling enjoys the hands-on experiences the class takes part in throughout the semester, learning the importance of gathering every detail possible to come up with the necessary evidence. “It’s good to have the knowledge from a textbook, but to put what you are seeing from the book into real life is an exciting journey,” she said. “We’ve done casting and fingerprints and to be able to hold something that you have done feels amazing.”
She also appreciates the real-life experiences and knowledge Link brings to the class. “Just by her experience, I can depict for myself what I want to do with my career choice,” Bowling said. “She has great stories about her career, and each time I go to class, I can’t wait to hear those stories or do my assignments because they all seem so realistic. Having this knowledge has benefitted my education.”
Link is hopeful the knowledge gained within the classroom can be beneficial for whatever vocation lies ahead, even if it’s something outside the criminal justice world. “We’ve had students go through this and decide it was fantastic and wanted to do more,” she said. “But we’ve also had students who realized this wasn’t for them, and that’s OK because it’s better to figure that out now than go through years of education before realizing it.
“I’ve had a passion for crime scene investigations ever since I started school, and it’s been exciting to pass that knowledge onto a new generation of students.”
