Today was more of a hands-on project style. We got to learn how to do fingerprints, package DNA, and look for bloodstains. Both Mr. Garside and Corporal Russell Benefield were there to help us along the way.
First, we worked with DNA. We each had a partner and swabbed each other's mouths with a cotton swab. We packaged the cotton swabs in orange paper bags for preservation purposes. We then proceeded to tape them with caution tape on either end of the package and write our initials all over it. It was really easy, and we did it in under fifteen minutes.
Next, we got to do our fingerprints. After we rubbed our fingers on the back of our necks for natural oils, we each got a piece of document paper and marked our fingers on it. We then got to use a really cool fingerprinting black powder and dust our papers to exhibit our prints. The dust was fun and the little stick it had made it to wear you could clean it up with magnets. Forget Playdough, I would have chosen fingerprinting dust to play with any day.
Finally, we got to look at the Blue Star luminance of blood stains. It was cool because it made the blood glow in the dark. We took photos of handprints and bloodstains everywhere. The blood was all fake though. It was a spray that Mr. Garside sprayed on his hands. I wish we used the Blue Star spray in the investigation on Thursday. It would have made things interesting! We would have been able to identify all the fingerprints better and make them more visible to the naked eye.
My favorite part about today was probably the fingerprinting station just because of the magnet dust. As a high schooler, I have never been more intrigued by such a simple thing.
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