Behind the Crime Scene

Training Exercises for Photographic Documentation: Real-World Scenarios

Training Exercises for Photographic Documentation: Real-World Scenarios

Photographic documentation training teaches how to capture meaningful, accurate images for forensic, educational, and tactical contexts. Learn practical exercises like the 100 Paces method, five-minute action shots, and the three-point art documentation system.

Registry Analysis: Windows System Information for Digital Forensics

Registry Analysis: Windows System Information for Digital Forensics

Windows Registry analysis is a cornerstone of digital forensics, revealing user activity, installed software, network connections, and malicious persistence. Learn how to extract and interpret key registry hives like SAM, SYSTEM, and NTUSER.DAT for forensic investigations.

Latent Print Cards: Proper Labeling and Storage for Forensic Evidence

Latent Print Cards: Proper Labeling and Storage for Forensic Evidence

Proper labeling and storage of latent print cards ensures fingerprint evidence remains usable in court. Follow state standards for orientation, packaging, and elimination prints to avoid contamination and rejection by forensic labs.

Foundation for Business Records in Digital Forensics: What Makes Evidence Admissible in Court

Foundation for Business Records in Digital Forensics: What Makes Evidence Admissible in Court

Business records in digital forensics must meet strict legal standards to be admissible in court. Learn the three key requirements under Rule 803(6), why chain of custody is non-negotiable, and how to build a foundation that holds up under legal scrutiny.

Ammunition Lot Linking: Understanding Manufacturing Variability in Firearm Ammunition

Ammunition Lot Linking: Understanding Manufacturing Variability in Firearm Ammunition

Ammunition lot linking reveals how manufacturing variability affects bullet performance, consistency, and forensic traceability. Learn why two boxes of the same ammo can shoot differently-and how to manage it.

Exhumation and Re-Autopsy: Legal and Technical Considerations

Exhumation and Re-Autopsy: Legal and Technical Considerations

Exhumation and re-autopsy are rare but critical forensic procedures used to uncover hidden causes of death, correct legal errors, or resolve civil disputes. Learn the legal steps, technical limits, and real-world cases where digging up a body made all the difference.

Chain of Custody Standards: Laboratory Requirements

Chain of Custody Standards: Laboratory Requirements

Chain of custody standards ensure lab specimens are tracked from collection to disposal with legal defensibility. Learn the key requirements for documentation, security, and accreditation that keep test results valid and trustworthy.

Flashover and Backdraft Indicators: How Firefighters Recognize Deadly Fire Behavior

Flashover and Backdraft Indicators: How Firefighters Recognize Deadly Fire Behavior

Flashover and backdraft are deadly fire behaviors that kill firefighters every year. Learn how to recognize the warning signs-smoke patterns, heat buildup, neutral plane shifts-before it's too late.

Scope Expansion: Adding New Forensic Methods to Modern Labs

Scope Expansion: Adding New Forensic Methods to Modern Labs

Modern forensic labs are expanding beyond traditional methods with portable spectroscopy, AI-driven analysis, and DNA sequencing. Learn how these innovations impact lab accreditation and criminal investigations.

Odor Encapsulation: How Sealants and Building Materials Stop Smells for Good

Odor Encapsulation: How Sealants and Building Materials Stop Smells for Good

Odor encapsulation uses advanced sealants to permanently trap odors from fire, biohazards, and pet waste. Learn how water-based, vapor-permeable coatings outperform old-school sealers and why they're now standard in professional restoration.

Forensic Laboratory Accreditation: Standards and Requirements Explained

Forensic Laboratory Accreditation: Standards and Requirements Explained

Forensic laboratory accreditation ensures crime labs meet strict international standards like ISO/IEC 17025. Learn how ANAB and A2LA verify competence, what disciplines are covered, and why accreditation is critical for justice.

Network Traffic Analysis: Understanding Digital Communication in Cyber Forensics

Network Traffic Analysis: Understanding Digital Communication in Cyber Forensics

Network traffic analysis reveals hidden digital footprints that expose breaches, insider threats, and malware activity. It's the backbone of modern cyber forensics, turning network behavior into actionable evidence.