JonBenet case is tool to teach criminal justice

Discussion in 'Justice for JonBenet Discussion - Public Forum' started by Little, Nov 12, 2008.

  1. Little

    Little Member

    PITTSBURGH TRIB p.m.

    Doll house helps criminal justice students learn
    By Jodi Weigand
    TRIBUNE-REVIEW
    Wednesday, November 12, 2008

    You probably wouldn't want to have a tea party in the doll house unveiled yesterday at Point Park University.

    But the 3-foot replica of the house where Lizzie Borden is said to have axed her father and stepmother in 1892 is perfect for Point Park criminal justice students.

    "It's a great tool to teach forensic students about fingerprints, shoe prints, blood spatter, DNA evidence and where you would look for evidence at a crime scene," said Steven Koehler, an associate professor in the criminal justice department. "What kind of evidence would (the perpetrator) deposit? If you hit someone with an ax 40 times, where would the blood spatter be on the walls and on the ceiling?"

    The house, unveiled yesterday, is a true-to-scale version of the two-story Borden house in Fall River, Mass.

    Borden was considered guilty, but she was acquitted, thanks to a lack of evidence. The murder remains unsolved.

    It's the coldest of cold cases -- and an ideal teaching tool, Koehler said.

    In two furnished rooms -- one on the first floor, another on the second -- bloody figurines represent the victims. Blood soon will be spattered on the walls for a finishing touch.

    The house has removable floors, allowing students to freely investigate.

    Art Institute of Pittsburgh students James Hudak and David Presnell, both 28, made the house for Point Park in conjunction with their miniature movie sets course. The house will be used in criminology classes as early as January.

    "We hope it, as a tool, helps solve some crimes in the future," Hudak said. "It would be great to have a hand in that."

    Presnell said they used computer-design software to lay out the house and a computer-guided saw to cut the pieces. They used photos and court records to lay out the crime scenes.

    "It's a lot easier to see it in person than just reading it in a book," said Point Park student Kim Sharp, 20.

    Koehler said they're hoping to add several more projects for forensic investigation at Point Park.

    They're planning to recreate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to help professors teach ballistics. They're also hoping to build a replica of the Boulder, Colo., home where JonBenet Ramsey died to teach students how to properly secure a crime scene, Koehler said.

    Jodi Weigand can be reached at jweigand@tribweb.com or 412-380-5609.

    http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/tribpm/s_598037.html
     
  2. LurkerXIV

    LurkerXIV Moderator

    Thanks, Little...

    That's a very interesting article.

    Wish they had had courses like that back when I went to college.

    Of course, way back then, women were not employed by any law enforcement authority, except maybe as secretaries.
     
  3. RiverRat

    RiverRat FFJ Sr. Member Extraordinaire (Pictured at Lef

    We've come a long way, Baby!
     
  4. RiverRat

    RiverRat FFJ Sr. Member Extraordinaire (Pictured at Lef

    Ewwww.......the HoneyMoon Hotel that Sue Bennett chose as her place to spend her special night.......toooooo bad that JonBenet didn't take an ax and give her Mother........
     
  5. Greenleaf

    Greenleaf FFJ Senior Member

    good morning

    Thanks, Little, and hello Lurker.

    Now, when they design this Ramsey "doll house," I would suggest that they create a small replica of a woman (the incomparable CAP) that one could wind up and let roam about, from room to room, secreting evidence in her large suit case, while the little police figurines were standing by, oblivious to her blatant felonious behavior. Only then, would it present the slighest semblance of credence needed to study this convoluted case. lol

    gl Edited to add: Hello, to my pal, River Rat.
     
  6. Elle

    Elle Member

    Good idea, Greenleaf! Maybe some day there will be murder scenes recreated with real life-sized holographs (?).

    Thank you for posting this interesting article, Little.
     
  7. Thor

    Thor Active Member

    HAHAHAHAHAHAAH!!! I LOVE this Greenie!
     
  8. koldkase

    koldkase FFJ Senior Member

    Thanks for bringing this here, Little. Very interesting.

    Good point, Greenleaf, about Pam hauling evidence out by the trunkful, with the "blessings" of Boulder LE, no less! I just WISH I could be a fly on the wall in that course when the professor has to explain this.

    :read: "So, dear student in whose hands cases will be made and broken, remember it's probably NOT a good idea to allow relatives to wander around raiding the home of a plethora of evidence under the guise of looking for underwear for the prime suspect...when underwear is actually one of the most important pieces of evidence in the case." :no:

    Maybe they'll take the Ramsey home model to the BPD and BDA and train THEM in crime scene investigation. There's a thought! :yes:

    [Lurker, I picked the female icon as professor just for you!]
     
  9. Show Me

    Show Me FFJ Senior Member

    hahahahaaaa.....funny!

    We can donate a tiny Lou Smit faced slinky....Lou Slink can go through the basement window without distrubing the dust, leaves and those annoying packing peanuts. Should we put a little tiny pair of underwear on the slinky?
     
  10. RiverRat

    RiverRat FFJ Sr. Member Extraordinaire (Pictured at Lef

    Your Pal here absolutely agrees!
     
  11. The Punisher

    The Punisher Member

    Yes, you too can get your very own CAP wind-up action figure, just in time for Christmas!
     
  12. koldkase

    koldkase FFJ Senior Member


    How about a minature, "to scale" pair of children's size 12, Bloomies "Day of the Week" underwear?
     
  13. koldkase

    koldkase FFJ Senior Member


    Oh my gosh! I WANT ONE! MEMEMEMEME!! Where do I get it?!! :gottarun:
     
  14. RiverRat

    RiverRat FFJ Sr. Member Extraordinaire (Pictured at Lef

    YOU know what I want for Christmas!!! :book:
     
  15. The Punisher

    The Punisher Member

    You're a great crowd!
     
  16. RiverRat

    RiverRat FFJ Sr. Member Extraordinaire (Pictured at Lef

    Any chances of a Lou Smit Bobble-Head?!
     
  17. DeeDee

    DeeDee Member

    Too funny, all! Don't forget the tiny "Boulder PD" jacket to put on CAP while she wanders around that doll house. Courtesy of the REAL Boulder Police.

    This is OT, but there is a really good site that sells VERY funny and quite irreverent "action figures" (not of this case, thank God) so PM me if interested for the link.
     
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