Studying Crime in the 21s t Century

Mount Aloysius College’s criminology program keeps forensic investigation fresh with new approaches to crime scene investigation and a brand-new certificate.

Criminology students here at the Mount have recently been granted the privilege of having an on-campus forensic crime scene laboratory where they are actively gaining hands-on experience using real-life crimes as examples.

Dr. Joseph Bobak, chair of the Mount’s Justice, Law, and Society Department and associate professor of criminology, is excited to share the work that his students have been conducting using the realistic set-up offered through the crime lab.

“Not only are students able to come into the crime scene and fully immerse themselves into what a real scene would be like, but we have gone far above what most schools do with relation to how they actually put one of these crime labs together.”

The lab is beyond “just stuffing a shirt and pants for the victim,” says Bobak. The lab features mannequins that are designed specifically for each crime scene that students are going to investigate.

Having a crime scene laboratory that exceeds the typical standards of other educational institutions provides countless benefits for the students in this program. Not only does investigating a realistic crime scene further expand the knowledge required for these careers, but it prepares students for scenarios that they may encounter as they begin their careers in the real world.

Everything that is seen in the Mount’s crime lab is exactly what one would see in a real crime scene, and entering a scene this realistic can often be difficult for some students.

“Being able to be exposed to it here at the College before they ever enter the workforce will be as true to life as they’re possibly going to get before they enter a real crime scene,” said Bobak.

The College is also now offering a certificate in Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG), a new way to investigate crime made famous by the 2019 identification of the Golden State Killer. FIGG uses DNA and traditional genealogical research to identify biological relationships between individuals. This new method of research could help to solve thousands of cold cases across the country.

“Knowing and having experience with genetic genealogy will certainly give our criminology students a leg up,” said Bobak. “This is the future of criminology, and it’s exciting that we get to bring our program to meet that future in this way.”