The crime scene training facility as an educational and training platform for the implementation of current trends in teaching forensic science at higher education institutions

The paper studies the development of a practice-oriented approach to teaching forensic science. To the author’s opinion, organizing crime scene training facilities at law schools plays a central role in this process. The objective of this study is to create a crime scene training facility at a legal institution as an educational and training platform for improving the quality of practical training of students by creating conditions as close as possible to the professional activities of investigators, forensic experts, and other law enforcement specialists. The paper describes current trends in forensic science and summarizes the successful experience of implementing practice-oriented training through the creation of a crime scene training facility at the Institute of Law of Togliatti State University. The training platform described in the paper contains several model locations and involves organizing student’s work in a number of variable scenarios. It is aimed at developing sustainable practical skills from documenting the circumstances of a crime scene to developing investigative leads and using specialized forensic equipment in simulated situations. Working in a real crime scene facility is intended to foster in students an understanding of the importance of conducting “the here and now” forensic work to avoid irreparable loss of evidence. The study demonstrates the significance of combining theoretical training with practical exercises in a crime scene facility. This approach allows future lawyers both to master key forensic categories and to understand the relationship between forensic characteristics, the subject of evidence, and the elements of a crime, which is essential for successful law enforcement. The paper is intended for forensic science instructors and is of an applied nature.