![\"Forensics](\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Superpromo-Dusting-Forensics-for-web-844x600.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSeries tracks\nindividual evidence<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFollowing\nNorthumbria Police\u2019s forensics team, the series tracks the fascinating journey\nof individual pieces of evidence from the moment they are discovered at the\ncrime scene, through to microscopic analysis at specialist laboratories \u2013 and\nreveals the pivotal role the findings have on each investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With criminals becoming increasingly sophisticated, forensic science has made huge advances and the role of Crime Scene Investigators has become more vital. Cases today can make or break on tiny margins. The path of a bullet through a pane of glass; the chemical make-up of a petrol bomb at the scene of a fire; the drop of saliva left on a victim\u2019s clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Jim Turner<\/a>, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology, was one of the academic consultants to the series and says that it shows the true picture of how CSIs operate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cCrime scene forensics have long been a topic for popular TV shows and films, but a lot of what the public think they know about police investigations and CSIs is, in many ways, wrong. Crime dramas, though they may seem realistic, are often exaggerated and misleading. This programme gives a true picture of the work that real CSI officers do, from the procedural minutiae before they even enter a crime scene to the attention to detail and scientific analysis of evidence in the lab. It is a meticulous and crucial role and this series will help increase the public understanding of how these investigators operate.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was really impressed with the focus that the CSI had on establishing the facts of what happened at a crime scene. They put their own unconscious bias aside about what may or may not have happened, and approached everything with a rational scientific approach.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
OpenLearn<\/strong> has extensive resources and information<\/a> on topics related to this series, including a virtual crime scene where you can follow the forensic evidence to solve a crime.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\nEpisode information<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEpisode one: The Harvest; Wednesday\n1 May, 9pm BBC2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nCrime Scene Manager Alan Sayers is gathering vital pieces of forensic evidence at a shooting that took place in a quiet housing estate in Newcastle. He says, “We call it the Harvest: if you don\u2019t get the Harvest, you don\u2019t get the results\u201d. Across town a father finds his son dead in his flat, and Forensic Pathologist Nigel Cooper is called in to determine if it\u2019s murder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ep2: \u2018Mixed Profiles\u2019 \nWed 8th<\/sup> May 9pm BBC<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nHead of\nForensics, Kirsty Potter finds a homemade balaclava at a violent stabbing;\n\u201cBalaclavas are great in any offence. Something\nthat\u2019s removed quick-time from an offender could have hairs or saliva – and\nsaliva will persist on fabric\u201d. In\nSunderland, a manhunt begins for two suspects in a rape case with the team\nattempting to identify the suspects and DNA-link them to the crime. It\u2019s then the detectives\u2019\nrole to find and catch the men responsible and seek justice for the traumatized\nvictim. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nEp3:\n\u2018Every Contact Leaves a Trace\u2019<\/strong>\nWed May 15th<\/sup><\/strong> <\/strong>9pm<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn\ncentral Newcastle, a seventeen-year-old girl has been raped by a\nstranger in a local park. Head of Forensics, Kirsty Potter, and Senior\nInvestigating Officer, Shelley Hudson, must try to find the unknown suspect –\nwith forensics, every hour counts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local CCTV identifies a man wearing the same distinctive jacket as the victim describes. He is arrested and brought into custody but it’s his clothing that could be the key to forensically linking the suspect to the crime: “Every contact leaves a trace – whether we find it or not, that’s the power of forensics”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visiting Professor Claire Turner taught on the OU’s short course on forensic science and says: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Forensics is an interesting application of analytical science, where science, psychology and the law overlap. Studying chemistry and analytical science will give very good theoretical basis for understanding the science of what is required in forensics.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Programme\nCredits:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nCommissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAcademic Consultants Dr Jim Turner (FASS), Prof. Claire Turner (STEM) and Dr Maria Velasco-Garcia (STEM)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nMedia Fellows: Dr Alison Penn (FASS) and Prof. Mark Brandon (STEM)<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\nBroadcast Project Manager Leslie Jewell<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDigital Content Producer Georgia Axtell-Powell<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis series was commissioned by Broadcast and Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, <\/strong>with particular reference to BSc (Hons) Psychology (<\/strong>Q07<\/strong><\/a>), BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology (<\/strong>Q82<\/strong><\/a>), MSc Forensic Psychological Studies (<\/strong>F73<\/strong><\/a>) <\/strong>and supported by the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths with particular reference to BSc (Hons) Natural Sciences (<\/strong>Q64<\/strong><\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please note this programme is not yet available for viewers of BBC Scotland, although it can be seen nation-wide via iPlayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Find out more<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCrime scene forensics have long been a topic for popular TV shows and films, but a lot of what the public think they know about police investigations and CSIs is, in many ways, wrong. Crime dramas, though they may seem realistic, are often exaggerated and misleading. This programme gives a true picture of the work that real CSI officers do, from the procedural minutiae before they even enter a crime scene to the attention to detail and scientific analysis of evidence in the lab. It is a meticulous and crucial role and this series will help increase the public understanding of how these investigators operate.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was really impressed with the focus that the CSI had on establishing the facts of what happened at a crime scene. They put their own unconscious bias aside about what may or may not have happened, and approached everything with a rational scientific approach.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
OpenLearn<\/strong> has extensive resources and information<\/a> on topics related to this series, including a virtual crime scene where you can follow the forensic evidence to solve a crime.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Episode information<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Episode one: The Harvest; Wednesday\n1 May, 9pm BBC2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crime Scene Manager Alan Sayers is gathering vital pieces of forensic evidence at a shooting that took place in a quiet housing estate in Newcastle. He says, “We call it the Harvest: if you don\u2019t get the Harvest, you don\u2019t get the results\u201d. Across town a father finds his son dead in his flat, and Forensic Pathologist Nigel Cooper is called in to determine if it\u2019s murder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ep2: \u2018Mixed Profiles\u2019 \nWed 8th<\/sup> May 9pm BBC<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Head of\nForensics, Kirsty Potter finds a homemade balaclava at a violent stabbing;\n\u201cBalaclavas are great in any offence. Something\nthat\u2019s removed quick-time from an offender could have hairs or saliva – and\nsaliva will persist on fabric\u201d. In\nSunderland, a manhunt begins for two suspects in a rape case with the team\nattempting to identify the suspects and DNA-link them to the crime. It\u2019s then the detectives\u2019\nrole to find and catch the men responsible and seek justice for the traumatized\nvictim. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ep3:\n\u2018Every Contact Leaves a Trace\u2019<\/strong>\nWed May 15th<\/sup><\/strong> <\/strong>9pm<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\ncentral Newcastle, a seventeen-year-old girl has been raped by a\nstranger in a local park. Head of Forensics, Kirsty Potter, and Senior\nInvestigating Officer, Shelley Hudson, must try to find the unknown suspect –\nwith forensics, every hour counts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local CCTV identifies a man wearing the same distinctive jacket as the victim describes. He is arrested and brought into custody but it’s his clothing that could be the key to forensically linking the suspect to the crime: “Every contact leaves a trace – whether we find it or not, that’s the power of forensics”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visiting Professor Claire Turner taught on the OU’s short course on forensic science and says: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Forensics is an interesting application of analytical science, where science, psychology and the law overlap. Studying chemistry and analytical science will give very good theoretical basis for understanding the science of what is required in forensics.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Programme\nCredits:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Academic Consultants Dr Jim Turner (FASS), Prof. Claire Turner (STEM) and Dr Maria Velasco-Garcia (STEM)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Media Fellows: Dr Alison Penn (FASS) and Prof. Mark Brandon (STEM)<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Broadcast Project Manager Leslie Jewell<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digital Content Producer Georgia Axtell-Powell<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This series was commissioned by Broadcast and Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, <\/strong>with particular reference to BSc (Hons) Psychology (<\/strong>Q07<\/strong><\/a>), BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology (<\/strong>Q82<\/strong><\/a>), MSc Forensic Psychological Studies (<\/strong>F73<\/strong><\/a>) <\/strong>and supported by the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths with particular reference to BSc (Hons) Natural Sciences (<\/strong>Q64<\/strong><\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please note this programme is not yet available for viewers of BBC Scotland, although it can be seen nation-wide via iPlayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Find out more<\/h2>\n\n\n\n