Course List
Basic Crime Scene Technician
BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY & DIGITAL IMAGING 40 Hours
The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamentals of crime scene photography, as well as familiarity with all forms of camera equipment and capture systems. Students are required to bring a digital camera which is capable of manual exposures. A digital single lens reflex camera is highly suggested. Mirrorless cameras, tripods, and flash lighting systems are applicable as available.
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Prerequisites:
Participants must be a certified peace officer, fire scene investigator, any state, local, or federal investigative person(s) or non-sworn personnel students assigned to a Crime Scene Investigative Unit.
FINGERPRINT SCIENCE 40 Hours
The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamentals of fingerprint science. This course will cover topics such as types of patterns and their interpretation, biology of friction ridge skin, orientation of ridge flows, and how to capture fingerprints and palm prints with live scan technology. Students are encouraged to bring to class a laptop computer with Microsoft capabilities. Students are required to bring a fingerprint magnifier with a Henry Disc and a Pointer.
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Prerequisites:
None
FRICTION RIDGE COMPARISON 24 Hours
The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamentals of friction ridge formation, documentation, analysis and comparisons. This course will cover topics such as the historical overview of friction ridge comparisons, the scientific basis of friction ridge comparisons from a biological standing, court acceptance of friction ridge evidence, and the documentation-comparison of friction ridges.
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Prerequisites:
Successful Completion of the 40-Hour Fingerprint Science (ABH03G) course or its equivalent.
LATENT PRINT DEVELOPMENT 24 Hours
This course is designed to develop the student's knowledge and proficiency in identifying the surface and select the correct processing method for evidence in search of friction ridge skin and latent prints. This course covers topics such as the searching, collection and transportation of latent print evidence, processes and procedures used to develop latent prints, and latent print processing techniques. This course will serve as the initial chemical development course which leads to advance latent print course to be taught at the Georgia Forensic Academy at Piedmont University.
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Prerequisites:
None
CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATIONS 40 Hours
The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamentals of crime scene investigations. This course is designed for personnel who investigate crime scenes or process physical evidence. Topics include documentation, search techniques, collection, preservation, and processing of physical evidence. Students are encouraged to bring a laptop computer with Microsoft capabilities to class.
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Prerequisites:
Participants must be a certified peace officer, fire scene investigator, any state, local, or federal investigative person(s) or non-sworn personnel students assigned to a Crime Scene Investigative Unit.
COURTROOM DEMEANOR AND EVIDENCE PRESENTATION 24 Hours
The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamentals of courtroom testimony, court and jury expectations, professional presentation of facts, and evidence presentation. This course is designed for personnel who present evidence in a court of law. Topics include preservation and handling of evidence, requirements for admissibility, courtroom testimony, and expert testimony.
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Prerequisites:
None
BLOODSTAIN PATTERN ANALYSIS 40 Hours
This course is designed to develop and/or enhance the skills and abilities of law enforcement officers and crime scene analysts to interpret bloodstains found at the scene or on the suspect. This would enable the investigator to determine the most probable sequence of events of the crime. This course is designed for personnel who investigate violent crimes. Topics include blood detection, blood composition, blood pattern types, and scene reconstruction. Students are encouraged to bring a laptop computer with Microsoft capabilities to class.
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Prerequisites:
Successful Completion of the 40-Hour Crime Scene Investigations (ABH02G) course or its equivalent.
Participants must be a certified peace officer, fire scene investigator, any state, local, or federal investigative person(s) or non-sworn personnel students assigned to a Crime Scene Investigative Unit.
Students who wish to attend courses with the GFA toward their Latent Print Examiner certification are required to have readily available (physical or digital) copies of the following texts. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these texts prior to the start of the course series due to the academic rigor of the course material.
1. Ashbaugh, D. R. Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis: An Introduction to Basic and Advanced Ridgeology. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1999.
2. Champod, Christophe et al. Fingerprints and Other Ridge Skin Impressions (2nd Edition). CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2016.
3. The Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Science of Fingerprints. U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1979
4. Moenssens, Andre A., Meagher, Stephen B. The Fingerprint Sourcebook. National Institute of Justice. 2011
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Disclaimer: Due to the substantial academic rigor of the Latent Print Examiner courses being offered by the Georgia Forensic Academy, some texts or lessons may contain challenging or controversial topics. The information and educational material contained herein are meant to promote generally accepted practices, understanding, and dialog of topics by forensic science professionals and related parties in latent print and impression evidence fields. Such information is not meant or intended to substitute for any individual’s experience or judgment. Attendance of these courses is strictly voluntary and should be undertaken only by individuals employed by a recognized law enforcement agency and currently assigned the complex tasks of Latent Print Examiner duties. Courses taught by the Georgia Forensic Academy are intended to be practical in impact and prepare students to be successful in the field of forensic sciences and, therefore, contain rigorous practical exercises and examinations that meet everyday challenges experienced by forensic professionals.
PALM PRINT COMPARISONS 40 Hours
The purpose of this course is to provide advanced level training in palm print comparisons. This course is the fourth of six latent print courses in the Latent Print Certification. Topics will include capture-recording, analysis, comparison, evaluation and verification, orientation, comparison of known to known and unknown palm impressions. The target audience for this course will be those who are already involved in the forensic discipline of crime scene investigations, forensic units, AFIS, and GCIC operations, and students participating in latent print identification.
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Prerequisites:
Successful Completion of POST approved courses in Fingerprint Science, Friction Ridge Analysis, and History, Biology and Ridgeology.
HISTORY, BIOLOGY, AND RIDGEOLOGY OF FRICTION RIDGE SKIN 40 Hours
The purpose of this course is to teach students the history and scientific basis for comparative analysis of friction ridge skin. This course will cover topics such as history of fingerprint science, types of patterns and their interpretation, biology of friction ridge skin, orientation of ridge flows, and how to document deformations, natural, hereditary, or mechanical in nature of friction ridge skin. Students are required to bring a fingerprint magnifier with a Henry disc and a pointer. Students are encouraged to bring a laptop computer with Microsoft capabilities.
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Prerequisites:
None
FRICTION RIDGE COMPARISONS 40 Hours
The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamentals of friction ridge comparisons. This course will cover topics such as the historical overview of friction ridge comparisons, the scientific basis of friction ridge comparisons, court acceptance of friction ridge evidence, and the comparison of friction ridges.
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Prerequisites:
Successful Completion of the 40-Hour Fingerprint Science (ABH03G) course or its equivalent.
FRICTION RIDGE ANALYSIS 40 Hours
The purpose of this course is to provide friction ridge analysis practical examination time while providing the students examples of report writing of their analysis. This course will cover topics such as ridge flows, pattern recognition, ACE-V documentation, orientation of friction ridge skin and comparisons of known-to-known impressions. The central focus will be practical examination time spent by students to reinforce standardized practices generally accepted throughout the world. This course is the second of six latent print courses in the Latent Print Certification.
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Prerequisites:
Assignment to an LEA or designated unit specializing in friction ridge analysis, or/and students.
COMPLEX FRICTION RIDGE ANALYSIS AND COMPARISONS 40 Hours
The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamentals of examining complex friction ridge analysis and comparisons. This course will cover topics such as types of patterns and their interpretation, biology of friction ridge skin, orientation of ridge flows, and how to examine complex friction ridge skin and analyze methodology to capture fingerprints and palm prints with live scan technology. Students are required to bring a fingerprint magnifier with a Henry disc and a pointer. Students are encouraged to bring a laptop computer with Microsoft capabilities.
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Prerequisites:
None
COURTROOM DEMEANOR & EXPERT TESTIMONY 40 Hours
The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamentals of courtroom testimony and evidence presentation as it related to latent print examination. This course will cover topics such as current case law, Daubert Hearing and curriculum vitae development, report preparation and preparation of demonstrative evidence for court.
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Prerequisites:
Successful Completion of the 40-Hour Fingerprint Science (ABH03G) course or its equivalent.
Advanced Crime Scene Technician
MEDICO-LEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATION 40 Hours
This course of instruction focuses on manners of death, post-mortem interval, death scene investigation, and the Medical Examiner's role. This course will assist investigators in their ability to distinguish between suspicious deaths and natural occurrences during the death process. Instruction will provide examples of common observable artifacts in scenes and address considerations to be reviewed by investigators.
This course will provide an in-depth instruction that covers the documentation of victims and is designed for investigators, patrol officers, coroners, and medical examiner investigators.
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Prerequisites:
Successful Completion of the POST Crime Scene Technician Certification, Coroner, Medical Examiner, or Investigator currently assigned to death investigations.
MORE COURSES COMING SOON...