Cedar Grove High School took 1st place in the Sociology and Criminal Justice Department's Crime Scene Competition April 25. |
Sociology & Criminal Justice Dept. Sponsors High School Crime Scene Competition
Students from high schools throughout New Jersey came out to Caldwell College on April 25, 2009 to participate in the Third Annual Crime Scene Competition. Following a lecture on "Blood Spatter Analysis" by Captain Tucker of the Passaic County Forensic Unit, student forensic teams were sent around campus to process staged crime scenes involving suspicious deaths. Students worked in the science labs analyzing soil samples and gunshot residue, lifting and analyzing fingerprints, and creating computerized composite sketches of potential perpetrators based on witness interviews.
"Our crime scene competition is a wonderful opportunity for high school students to practice crime processing skills and lab techniques learned in their high school science and forensic classes," said Dr. Rosann Bar, Professor of Sociology at Caldwell College. "It is an overwhelmingly popular event that is both fun and educational."
At the conclusion of their investigations, the teams had to determine whether each death was a murder, suicide, or accident. Local law enforcement officers, including many Caldwell College alumni, judged the students' work. They awarded top honors to Cedar Grove High School. Second place went to Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair, and Red Bank Catholic High School placed third.
Honorable Mention honors went to Rutgers Preparatory School, West Essex High School, Mount Saint Dominic Academy in Caldwell, Saddle Brook High School, Wayne Valley High School, Immaculate Conception High School in Lodi, and Verona High School.
The event was sponsored by Caldwell College's Department of Sociology/Criminal Justice, which offers an Interdisciplinary Certificate Program in Criminal Forensics.