Learning to sleuth by the book

Mary Jones had a quarrel with her fiancé, Thomas Smith. That evening, Jones visited the home of Smith to return his engagement ring. When he awoke the next morning, Smith discovered Jones sitting in her car outside his house, shot in the chest.

Luckily, this scenario is fictional, one of the many mock murder scenarios presented to students in the criminal investigation class at Northern Essex Community College in Lawrence. But to unravel the mystery, the students are using real-life sleuthing techniques.

''I took this class because I wanted to see if the things on television are real," said Adam Goujon, a Northern Essex sophomore majoring in general studies.

Goujon is not alone in admitting that he is a fan of popular crime shows like ''CSI" and ''CSI-Miami."

But he and his fellow students have found that, like many things on television, those crime shows don't provide a completely accurate picture.

In almost any episode of CSI, detectives are able to investigate, test and prove evidence, arrest a suspect, and solve the crime. One of the many things taught to the students of the criminal investigation class is that the process of examining a crime scene takes skill, accuracy, and a lot of time.

''I want to show my students what it takes to be a good investigator," said Bill Rayno, the instructor and a retired Methuen police detective. ''Not all cops are good investigators. You really need to have that sixth sense."

Rayno and Terry Kalil, dean of the criminal justice department at Northern Essex, began the criminal investigation course a year and a half ago.

''We knew we wanted to do it, but no one in the community offered this class, so we had to do some researching," said Kalil. ''It was a process. We had to research, develop funding, and make a proposal to the school."

The course -- which focuses on collecting, preserving, and analyzing evidence -- is a prerequisite for an associate's degree in criminal justice. While many students go on to pursue bachelor's degrees and careers in law enforcement and related fields, the class is open to people of all backgrounds, even those who aren't enrolled at Northern Essex.

''A lot of people want to take this class," said Kalil. ''We are trying to offer it to everyone, to those from different majors and from outside of the college."

Angel Gil is a sophomore who says he intends to continue criminal justice studies at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. ''This class gives you a great head start if you want to continue in police work or go into forensics," he said. ''If you enjoy science and police work, this class is definitely for you."

Contributing to the class's popularity is the fact that it allows hands-on experience with more than $18,000 of equipment. Since most local police departments can't afford such equipment, Rayno and Kalil have offered the use of it to local departments.

''This class helps me to become more knowledgeable in my field," said Charles Dejesus, a Methuen police detective and a student in the class. ''You gain experience with a lot of high-tech equipment."

In last week's class, Dejesus demonstrated how to use the fuming chamber, a device that enables fumes from a glue-like substance to stick to fingerprints on a piece of evidence. In his demonstration, Dejesus hung a glass, a gun, and a piece of paper inside the sealed chamber. Within minutes, fingerprints on all three objects were visible.

''This class is not all lecture, like many classes; it is very hands-on," said Derek Titone, a criminal justice major.

With Rayno's assistance, Titone demonstrated the optical comparator, an advanced magnifier that allows two objects to be magnified and compared. Rayno placed two bullet shells under the comparator to allow students to observe where the firing pin hit the casing.

''No two guns' firing pins hit in the same spot," Rayno told the class. ''This is similar to fingerprints, in that it helps us to eliminate suspects."

To elaborate on this statement, Rayno had students pull fingerprint samples from a piece of paper. Students dusted the piece of paper with black, magnetic powder and then used a fingerprint lifter (a piece of sticky paper with a plastic cover) to seal the print. The prints were then observed in the optical comparator.

In another demonstration, Rayno guided two students in preserving a footprint. One student made a footprint in a small box of dirt, while another was instructed how to make the mold. Using a dust- and dirt-hardener, the student sprayed the footprint and waited for it to dry. He then was told to spray the releasing agent, Pam, on top of the hardened dirt. After doing so, the student poured the premeasured casting.

''This is what investigators would do for a footprint or a tire track at a crime scene," said Rayno. ''By preserving the print, you would be able to match them to others."

During the semester, students are given regular assignments similar to the Mary Jones case. Though they do not conduct any physical investigation in these assignments, they are asked what steps they would take and what evidence suggests whether the death was a suicide or a homicide.

At the end of the semester, the students will split up into groups and put all of their investigative skills to the test at a mock crime scene that Rayno will set up somewhere on campus. The scene will include such things as hair, blood, fingernails, and fingerprints planted by Rayno. Each group will be graded on its abilities to complete the basic protocol: interview, examine, photograph, sketch, and process.

The classes at Northern Essex, which have about 20 students each, have filled up quickly. The course has been offered once a semester, but will be offered twice in the spring semester because of its popularity. To meet the high demand for education in forensic science, Merrimack College has recently offered a forensic chemistry course, which will require its students to take the criminal investigation class at Northern Essex.

''With the advance in technology, criminals are becoming more aware of what is out there," Dejesus said. ''It is imperative that we stay one step ahead."