Entry requirements

Fulfilled courses in Forensic Science and Criminalistics as well as Forensic Genetics and Medicine.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• generally account for a criminal investigation and court procedure
• describe interrogation techniques, witness identification and lie detection theories
• explain how confirmation bias may influence investigations
• explain misinformation effects
• discuss evaluation of evidence in court
• identify and discuss problems concerning the evaluation of forensic evidence from a legal perspective
• evaluate data as an expert witness in court
• summarize examples of wrongful convictions and work in innocence projects

The student should also be able to apply a scientific approach, evaluate scientifically performed investigations, apply ethical considerations to research and communicate scientific results.

Content

The course is initiated with an introduction to the legal procedure, from the time a crime has been committed to the final court verdict. This is followed by studies of cognitive psychology, memory, perception, attention and information processing related to criminal investigations and evidence evaluation. After that more detailed studies are followed about interrogation techniques, evaluation of eye witness statements and identifications, confirmation bias and misinformation effects. Finally, evaluation of evidence in court and expert witness testimonies will be studied, followed by wrongful convictions and work in innocence projects.

Instruction

The teaching is given as lectures, seminars, projects and group work. Special focus is directed to stimulate the students to independently solve problems. Compulsory parts of the course: Course introduction, lectures, seminars, group meetings, briefings, discussions and presentation. The teacher can give exemption regarding the obligatory part in case there are special reasons.

Assessment

Written examinations and advanced assignment (oral and written presentation).

For a pass on the course, 90 % of all mandatory teaching, passed examination, passed written assignments and presentations are required.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University ́s disability coordinator.

Other directives

The course is given within the Master Programme in Forensic Science.