THE CRUCIAL MINUTES presents advanced evidence techniques in a simplified and enjoyable format. Investigators, Evidence Technicians, Criminalists, and First Response Officers will gain enhanced information from crime scenes and pick up new ideas and techniques.

This class has received high acclaim from all who have attended. It's for everyone who wants to competently process a crime scene. It's for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed or intimidated by the complexity of a crime scene.

THE CRUCIAL MINUTES is a one-week, 40-hour class designed for officers and technicians who have total responsibility for processing a crime scene. The first day's lecture includes the identification and collection of physical evidence. During this segment of the class, issues are discussed such as first arrival responsibilities, securing the scene, conducting a preliminary survey, photography (both still photos and video), legal considerations, crime scene search methods, interrelationship of various types of crime scene documentation (photos, sketches, and notes), collection and packaging of evidence, latent fingerprint considerations and final evaluation of the scene to assure completion of tasks.

The second day of class is spent in a more detailed study of latent prints, including lecture, demonstrations, and class exercises. Day three covers bloodspatter including velocity considerations in interpreting the bloodspatter, formulas for determining angle of impact, cast off blood and back spatter, and transfer patterns. A practical exercise of blood spatter to determine angle, convergence, and origin is included.

Day four includes discussion and practical exercises on gunshot residue/trace metal detection and footwear/tiretrack documentation and casting. Trace metal topics include shortwave UV light exam, pattern observation, and documentation. Gunshot residue topics cover proper swabbing techniques and common reasons for conflicting and inconclusive results. Footwear/tiretrack topics include protecting the impression, photography techniques, dental stone casting, dustprint lifting, sketching, and conclusions about footwear/tire track impresssions. The final day of class is spent processing a mock crime scene.

About the Instructor:James R. "J.R." Davis served as an officer of the Houston Police Department for twenty years, eleven of that as a crime scene investigator. During that period, he investigated hundreds of homicides, plus countless other crime scenes. He holds an instructor’s license from Texas P.O.S.T. and also carries Master Peace Officer Certification in Texas. J.R. has taught crime scene topics extensively since 1987 and is currently associated with the Colorado Institute of Law Enforcement Training in addition to his classes taught for Forensic Identification Training Seminars, LLC.