30 passionate Criminology students at Loreto College recently took part in an exciting “Crime Scene to Courtroom” workshop, held in the new St Vincent’s Building and led by the experienced Zakon team. The session was based on a real-life murder case that the workshop leader, a former Senior Investigating Officer, had worked on personally.
The day kicked off with a simulated 999 call, throwing students straight into the deep end of a murder investigation. They were given access to forensic evidence, intelligence reports, and witness statements, and had to work together to piece together what had happened. A realistic crime scene reconstruction of this murder gave them the chance to apply their classroom learning in a practical and hands-on way.
As the investigation progressed, students swapped their detective roles for legal ones, preparing for a mock Crown Court trial. All students had a role in this: judge, jury, prosecution, defence, witnesses, and suspect. Each student had to explain and defend their decisions and investigative approach before the jury reached its verdict: not guilty.
One student who was a key part of the defence team commented:
“I enjoyed the crime scene courtroom activity as it gave an insight into how the courtroom works and how evidence is collected thoroughly, with both advantages and disadvantages. As I want to pursue something like this at university, I found it extremely helpful. I especially enjoyed being on the defence team.”
The workshop brought the WJEC Criminology Diploma to life and gave students a real taste of what a career in the criminal justice system could look like. It also allowed the students to develop and build their employability skills.