The Forensic Investigation of Sexual Offences: Practitioner Course Design and Delivery

Abstract

Forensic evidence has a clear role to play in the successful prosecution of sexual offence cases, and as such, the place of forensic science should be presented to students in the relevant context within a functioning criminal justice system. Mechanisms of transfer and persistence make a good starting point for training in this area, followed by detailed training in search and identification techniques for the various evidence types, and discussion of their limitations. Many sexual offence submissions to the forensic laboratory arrive with a great deal of supplementary information, often summarised on the submission paperwork by the investigating officer. This information, coupled with that in the complainant's interview often reads like a story. When practitioners are sufficiently experienced in dealing with sexual offence cases, they may wish to develop further by providing forensic awareness training to other audiences with a professional interest in sexual offence casework.