Congo Camp 2010

A drug tester's table.

The CSI Congo campers, after having gone to the DEA yesterday, did some drug testing of their own.  Not on actual people, but of simulated substances on their crime scene. 

They first had to learn how to decipher which drug it was after they lifted it from the crime scene. Once it was lifted, then they had to add some chemicals to see what reacted.

This CSI Congo crime scene is slowly being deciphered and these campers are working hard on figuring out exactly who commited this crime. 

A DEA badge.  (Courtesy of Wikimedia)

CSI Congo had a top secret trip today to the DEA.  Although we don't know the details about what they will be doing there, we know they will be enjoying some time touring the building.

Before the trip, this morning they did more exploration of the crime scene that was set-up in their room.  Pictures of this crime scene will be up tomorrow so check back to see those. 

This crime scene investigation started yesterday when the campers did blood testing of each of the suspects at the crime scene. 

Today, they bagged some of the evidence that was around the body.  We are interested to find out who the murderer is and to see our CSI team solve the crime!

A few of the campers molding shoeprints.

CSI Congo finished off last week by making molds of their shoeprints.  When crimes occur, making molds of tracks is a common way to figure out who may have been there.

Well, our CSI Congo campers may not have committed a crime, but today they will be seeing exactly how a mold of their shoeprint comes out. 

We look forward to seeing the final products of these prints once they are finished; until then, check out the awesome molds they created!

A picture of the "dead body".

Any good investigator knows that outlining the body is an important part of an investigation.  Our CSI Congo campers learned how to do this outlining today. 

These campers had a demonstrator come in and explain how the process is completed.  Following this demonstration, these campers then saw a fake body outlining. 

After the body was outlined, the pictures of what would happen to a dead body were placed atop of it.  These campers used their deduction skills during this first week of session 4 and we look forward to seeing them use those same skills next week. 

Preparing to sift the juice from the strawberries.

In the picture below, the DNA is the white strand within the liquid.  These campers have had their detective hats on these past three days and we look forward to them continuing their investigations. 

If you look closely, you can see the white sliver of DNA to the left of the stirrer.

Criminalogists at work.

Almost every murder-mystery show includes such a line, and then the full- or partial fingerprint ends up cluing us in to the criminal. 

Well, while so many of us merely watch, our CSI Congo campers got to experience the various ways that one can obtain fingerprints. 

Some lifted the print by simply dusting the image, while others used more advanced methods, such as iodine, to show the print. 

These campers have been doing excellent work in the field of Forensic studies these past three days and we know that they can't wait to continue advancing their skills! 

CSI Congo campers taking prints.

These campers "captured" their own prints by using some ink and a mapping out their hand on a piece of a paper.  Seeing some of the skillful prints, we can easily tell how well these campers will be at the forensics they are studying.

The CSI Congo Campers investigate a crime!

These campers will be solving mysteries all week and they have already started off on their forensic journey.