Workshops Currently Open for Enrollment:
Forensic Photography Workshop
Dates: June 9-13, 2025
Location: UF TREEO, 3900 SW 63rd Blvd, Gainesville, FL 32608
Course Description
Photography is one of the most important aspects of crime scene investigation since it provides a permanent visual record of the scene. The photographic record will aid in both the investigation and the legal proceedings leading to and including courtroom testimony.
Course Objectives
his annual course focuses on the techniques necessary for the photographic documentation of crime scenes, gunshot wounds, bitemarks, weapons, and trace evidence as well as the creation of consistent approaches to photographic exposures, storage, and security. This workshop will introduce the many challenges facing crime scene and law enforcement personnel in documenting crime scenes through photographic techniques, and how to overcome these challenges. Scene photography, alternate light source photography, and working in low lighting situations will be addressed. Mock crime scenes will be established in indoor and outdoor locations and participants will be divided into teams for the photographic documentation portion of the course. Participants are encouraged to utilize this course as an opportunity to become familiar with their own photographic equipment.
Topics
- Basic DSLR camera use
- Off and on camera flash use
- Painting with light
- Low light photography
- Stop motion photography
- Control of depth of field, shutter speed, and aperture
Instructor
Dr. Sharon Plotkin, Ed.D, M.S.
Sharon has a Doctor of Education, a M.S. in Criminal Justice, and is a IAI certified crime scene investigator. She has over 18 year’s experience in crime scene investigation and specializes in crime scene documentation, training, photography, bloodstain recognition and fingerprinting.
Principles of Crime Scene Investigation
Dates: September 29 – October 3, 2025
Location: : UF TREEO, 3900 SW 63rd Blvd, Gainesville, FL 32608
Course Description
This in-person, interactive course has been designed to give students a hands-on approach regarding the basic concepts of forensic science and crime scene investigation and related examination of evidentiary items. Students will become familiar with the multidisciplinary nature of forensic science and several of the specializations within them and perform tasks pertaining to each specialization.
Course Objectives
- Perform and explain crime scene security, approaching a scene, searches and documentation of evidence
- Perform basic photography as it is related to crime scenes
- Perform latent print recovery using different processing methodology and documentation
- Perform tasks related to trace evidence identification and recovery
- Perform biological examinations, including blood pattern analysis, alternative light source applications and chemical enhancement procedures
- Perform the basic steps of forensic anthropology and archeological recovery
- Perform basic concepts of DNA recovery, examination, and preservation
- Perform concepts related to firearm examination including GSR testing, muzzle-to-target distance determinations, and other analyses
- Analyze, process, and document a mock crime scene using the culmination of all methodologies and present evidentiary findings in a courtroom setting
- Pass a test using the culmination of all forensic science disciplines presented
Instructor
Dr. Sharon Plotkin, Ed.D, M.S.
Sharon has a Doctor of Education, a M.S. in Criminal Justice, and is a IAI certified crime scene investigator. She has over 18 year’s experience in crime scene investigation and specializes in crime scene documentation, training, photography, bloodstain recognition and fingerprinting.