OHLONE COLLEGE X New Ohlone Community College District OFFICIAL COURSE OUTLINE

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1 OHLONE COLLEGE X New Ohlone Community College District Revised OFFICIAL COURSE OUTLINE 1. Discipline/Course #: LE Units:.5 3. Title: Death Investigation Lec Hrs 24 Lab Hrs 8 Total Hrs Cross Reference: 5. Sem Offered: F S X 6. Part of Program: 7. Repeat: 3 # Times or units 8. Grading: Letter only 9. Credit by Exam: Yes No X Credit/No-Credit only X (If yes, attach exam) Optional 10. Prerequisites: Corequisites: Advisory: Basic Police Academy 11. Credit Course: X Non-Credit Course: (If Credit Course, complete all applicable categories below) (If Non-Credit Course, skip to #12) Associate Degree Course: (Please complete one) X Associate Degree Applicable Course Non-Associate Degree Applicable Course Transferable Course: (Please complete as appropriate) CSU Inst./Parallel Course: UC Inst./Parallel Course: Limited to Specific Inst./Program: CAN #: 12a. Catalog Description: This course is intended to expand the first responders' knowledge base of death scene investigation. Often the first responder is charged with determining whether a case is suspicious or warrants further investigation. The topics covered are widely varied and cover various types of deaths. This course contains a great deal of information regarding the basics of death investigation. The investigator will be exposed to case studies that illustrate a variety of cases and will engage in a walk-through scenario that will allow the participant to act on the information provided 12b. Class Schedule Description: This course is intended to expand the first responders' knowledge base of death scene investigation. Often the first responder is charged with determining whether a case is suspicious or warrants further investigation. 13. Course Schedule for Counselors: Instructional Office Use Only COURSE CODES CSU AREA AA/AS AREA TOPS CODE A1 I Elective USOE CODE A2 II SAM CODE C A3 IIIA Vice President Instruction Approval TRANS CODE B1 IIIB CAN Number B2 IVA Specific CSU B3 IVB

2 IGETC Area C1 IVC VATEA Qualifying: Yes No C2 V Date of Board Approval D1 VI D2 Elec E Page Student Performance Objectives: Upon completion of this course the student will: 1. Identify different Manners of Death including; natural, accidental, suicide, homicide, and unknown. 2. Describe the role of the Medical Examiner/Coroner in a death investigation. 3. Describe different ways bodies can be identified 16. Methods of Evaluation or Measurement of Student Achievement: (Degree course requires at least one choice from "A", "B" or "C". If "A" is not checked, indicate the reason why not) A. Written Assignments: 25 % (Approximate % of grade) Essay Exam(s) Writing Assignments are NOT Term or Other Paper(s) appropriate because course is: Lab Report(s) Primarily Computational x Written Homework Primarily Skill Demo x Reading Report(s) or Problem Solving Other B. Comp/Non Comp/Prob C. Skill Demonstration D. Objective Exams Solving (approx. 30 %) (approx. 30 %) (approx. 15 %) x Exam(s) x Class Performance(s) x Multiple Choice x Quizzes Field Work x True/False x Homework x Performance Exams Matching Lab Report(s) Completion Field Work Page 3

3 17. Course Content: (If additional space is needed, attach on separate paper. See guidelines for description of outline required. I. INTRODUCTION AND COURSE OBJECTIVES A. Instructor and student backgrounds B. Reference and content materials discussed C. Course content and goals of instruction II. PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY A. Different Manners of Death a. Natural, b. Accidental c. Suicide d. Homicide e. Unknown C. Background of victim, and life prior to death D. Body position, wound location, and subtle aspects of victim E. Determination/manner of death III. AUTOPSY MATTERS A. Role of the Medical Examiner/Coroner in a death investigation B. Different types of Autopsy a. Medicolegal vs. Hospital D. Investigator desires and Pathologist s determination IV. IDENTIFICATION OF BODIES A. Different ways bodies can be identified a. Fingerprints and Footprints b. DNA, hairs, and fibers c. Scars, marks, and other visuals B. Examples and discussion of body identification, including case studies V. WOUND IDENTIFICATION A. Different types of wounds that a forensic psychologist may find at autopsy, and what they tell a. Self inflicted/homicide b. Animal/Insect B. Discussion of Quick to Judgment prior to autopsy results, and their pitfalls C. Case studies discussion VI. TIME OF DEATH A. Different physiological occurrences to the body determine time of death and time parameters of each a. Putrefaction process b. Rigor Mortis - body stiffening c. Livor Mortis - body discoloration d. Algore Mortis body cooling B. Symptoms of death a. Pallor, loss of skin elasticity, ocular, lack of pulse and breathing C. Examination of stomach contents can determine what happened and time of death VII. EQUIVOCAL DEATH ANALYSIS

4 A. Psychological autopsy revisited as to cause of death accident, suicide, or homicide? B. The criteria to conduct an analysis C. Necessary materials a. Death scene and cleansed wound photos b. Autopsy and Toxicology Reports c. Victimology D. 23 Suicide Questions VIII. GUNSHOTS A. Characteristics of three types of wounds a. Contact b. Intermediate c. Distant B. Review of different case studies a. What can be determined at the gunshot autopsy b. The supporting evidence for suicide c. The supporting evidence for homicide XV. BURNINGS A. Examination at autopsy can determine if remains are animal, or human a. Did the death result from the fire, or was the victim already dead? B. Examination of the air passages, blood color, teeth, and condition of victim (such as splits on large muscles, long bones broken due to cooking process, skull exploded). C. Review case studies of accidental, suicidal, and homicidal fires. X. ASPHYXIA A. Different types of deaths a. Hanging Usually suicide, feet touch the floor and an inverted V on the neck b. Ligature strangulation Usually homicide, a vascular death with Petechiae c. Asphyxiating gases Displace oxygen and may discolor skin d. Smothering Accidental or homicide. Little trauma evidenced at autopsy. c. Manual strangulation Homicide, visable marks to neck and shoulders. d. Traumatic Compression to chest. Accidental. e. Choking Obstruction in air passage. Usually accidental can be homicide if gas slips into air passage. XI. SHARP FORCE A. Three types of wounds a. Cuts Caused by sharp object being drawn across skin. Very little can be determined about weapon or weapon size. b. Chop Involves major structures of the body and caused usually by large weapon, i.e. machete, ax, or sword. c. Incised Or stab caused by sharp object forced into body. Can tell weapon size and if double, or single edge. B. Case studies reviewed. XII. NTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS A. A psychological assessment of the crime scene a. What the analyst can tell from what was left at the scene b. The different crime scenes best to analyze because of the psychopathology

5 c. Perpetrator s personality - target areas of the body, body position, and wound analysis XIII. LEVELS OF MENTAL AWARENESS A. 70% of people in the US are normal; 10% are Neurotic; 2% are Psychotic; 18% have Personality Disorders B. Is the perp conscious of what he/she is doing? XIV. SCHIZOPHRENIA A. Different types of schizophrenia are: a. Undifferentiated Commits a violent, curiosity, motivated crime. Usually strikes from the rear and wants a quick kill to explore the body. b. Residual Usually kills a family member for a bizarre reason. c. Catatonic More dangerous to self. Could dig out their eyes or castrate self with fingers. d. Paranoid Most dangerous and most common in those who commit violent acts for bizarre motives e. All types have hallucinations and delusions. B. Review of type case studies. XV. PARANOIAC, MASS MURDER AND WORKPLACE VIOLENCE A. The sniper has delusions, but no hallucinations a. Kill for a cause and can get along well in society except in problem areas. B. Work place violence personality is typically white, male, in their 30 s, and work is a priority. Has an exaggerated feeling of self importance. a. May have been terminated from work, and one year later goes into the work place and kills many. b. Needs psychological help. XVI. BI-POLAR DISORDER A. The person has attacks of elation for 3 months, and depression for 9 months a. Usually kills all family members as they believe the world is bad and the family should not live in it. Look at any surviving member(s) as potential suspect. b. Will try to dissimilate the scene. c. Typical onset is during the ages of 30 to 40. d. Easy to interview in a depressed state. XVII. HISTRIONIC AND PARANOID PERSONALITY DISORDERS A. Personality disorders are lifelong inflexible or limited behavior caused by defective development of the personality structure B. The Histrionic disordered person is overly dramatic, seeks attention, and craves activity and excitement. They fake suicide attempts to get police attention. C. The Paranoids are the domestic abusers who question the loyalty of their spouse. They are controlling and pathologically jealous. XVIII. OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER A. Obsessive Compulsives cannot express warm feelings and have very little pleasure in life a. Preoccupied with rules and trivial details. b. Obsessed with germs and contamination. c. They commit the nuisance crimes, ie Voyeurism, exhibitionism, obscene telephone calls, and fetish burglaries. They can commit ritualized homicide. XVIV. INADEQUATE DISORDER (DEPENDANT DISORDER)

6 A. Dependant Disorder a. Underachievers who do not react well in social situations b. No one pays attention to what they do or say; if married, they typically will be married to an older, less attractive woman. c. In a hostage situation, they want to be on TV, speak to the president, etc. d. They are child killers and pedophiles. e. If they have a fight and are berated by their wife, they may rape. f. They tend to get involved in auto-erotic behavior. g. Usually involves cross dressing and some type of device to cut off oxygen to the brain (there s a fantasy involved and an escape mechanism is present.) ANTI-SOCIAL DISORDER (PSYCHOPATH) A. Anti- Social individuals comprises 4% of the population, and responsible for 90% of all crimes a. Has no conscience and feels no guilt for their crimes. b. They can pass the polygraph. c. These are our serial killers and are highly intelligent (Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Son of Sam). d. No fear of being caught Prepared by: Curriculum Advisor for the Consortium of the Division Date: October, 1998 Revised by: Inst. Manager Approval: CAPAC Curriculum Review: Date: Curriculum Committee Approval: Curriculum Committee Revised: Page Student Materials-Means of Achieving Objectives: Text: Instructor Handouts ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR CAPAC Supplemental Text: Special Materials: Texts are considered college level because: Texts being used are specified by the State Certification Program

7 19. Outside of Class Assignments, Required Reading, Writing, and Other: Over an 18-week presentation of a course, three hours per week are required for each unit of credit. For each hour of lecture, two hours of independent work done outside of class are required. The students in this class will be doing the following outside of class: x Study Answer Questions Skill Practice x Required Reading Problem Solving Activity or Exercise x Written Work (essays/composition/report/analysis/research) Journal (reaction and evaluation of class, done on a continuing basis throughout the semester) Observation of, or participation in, an activity related to course content (e.g., play, museum, concert, debate, meeting, etc.)

Forensic Pathology & Death Investigation in Arizona

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