Learn how police use science in criminal investigations and its role in the criminal justice system with this free online course being offered through FutureLearn.com by the University of Leicester.

Starting date: 13th of April 2015
Duration of course: 6-weeks
To register: Please visit https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/forensic-crim-justice

About the course

Over the past two decades, the criminal justice system has been dramatically affected by technological advances in scientific contributions to the law. The most influential developments have been in the area of DNA profiling, and its forensic applications for both identifying perpetrators and exonerating the innocent.

Although there have been some extraordinary victories for the forensic science community in recent years, there has also been scepticism about the infallibility of some forensic science practices, and the interpretation of physical evidence in the courtroom.

This free online course will begin by introducing you to the historical context of forensic science and how science is used by the police during criminal investigations.

You will then explore some of the implications that these forensic techniques have on the criminal justice system, such as controversies surrounding biometric databases, the portrayal of forensic science in popular media (“the CSI effect”), and how forensic science is used in the courtroom.

Finally, you will consider what the future of forensic science looks like and where the discipline may be heading in the years to come.

Requirements

No prior qualifications in forensic science or other disciplines are required. Students should have an interest in how science assists police investigations, and how forensic science impacts on the criminal justice system.