To understand the role of the chemist in a court, his main responsibility and the most common argument he could deal with.
Course Prerequisites
Basic knowledges of analytical and inorganic chemistry
Teaching Methods
Frontal lessons
Assessment Methods
Oral examination concerning the different aspect discussed during the lessons. The student must prove to have integrated the knowledges acquired during the lessons, eventually supplementing with personal deepening of one or more arguments (optional).
Texts
S. Bell, Forensic Chemistry, second edition, Pearson New International Edition, 2014
-A brief history of forensic science - Provision of Expert Testimony: Daubert standard, Carmichael and Coppolino cases -Recognition, Collection, and Preservation of Physical Evidence. A lesson from the cases Michigan v. Tyler and Mincey v. Arizona -The significance of physical evidences: identification, comparison, individual and class characteristics. Reconstruction of the crime scene. The trial of Wayne Williams. -Chemistry, pharmacology and analysis of the most common drugs of abuse -Color, dye and pigment. -Forensic Analysis of Inks and Paints -Fires and explosions: fundamental and investigation -Forensic ballistic, firearm and their chemical investigations. - Chemical warfare agents and riot control agents: synthesis, characteristics, dispersion methods and analysis.
