NCJ Number
88450
Date Published
1979
Length
41 pages
Annotation
This document summarizes the organization, curriculum, and evaluation of a project offering forensic serologists advanced training in the use of eight enzyme and protein polymorphisms through a multisystem electrophoresis process.
Abstract
The Forensic Serology Workshop program was initiated to transfer technologies developed in the previously funded LEAA Blood Analysis System. Seven workshops were conducted between August 1978 and August 1979, training 94 serologists from 40 States. The report first describes the process used to classify applicants into experienced and inexperienced groups, scheduling, and preparing the Serological Research Institute's facility for the workshops. The course for experienced participants lasted 2 weeks, while the one for inexperienced serologists took 3 weeks. Each workshop was planned for 15 students. An outline of the training design discusses the manual, organization of students into three sets of five persons, examinations, and blind trials given at the end of each week. More than 90 percent of the students described the overall value of the workshops and the quality of instruction as positive. Pretest and posttest examination results for the classes showed net improvements ranging from 14 percent to 41 percent. The results of followup blind trial tests sent to students from four classes discussed. Diagrams, tables, sample tests, and a list of precourse suggested readings are included.