Have you watched every true crime documentary so many times your friends are concerned? Do you have an interest in crime, forensics, DNA, and court shenanigans? Have you been considering a career in law enforcement, forensics, sociology, criminology, or anthropology? Then, look no further than the new Summer Exploration program coming to the University of Montana in July 2024, CJUS 191, affectionately named “CSI: Missoula.” During CSI: Missoula, participants will get the opportunity to spend two weeks engaging in a simulated murder case, following the proper steps and procedures from crime scene investigation, DNA analysis, and profiling, all the way to court proceedings and a mock trial—all while spending two weeks in a University of Montana dorm room with friends old and new!

This course is an interdisciplinary endeavor, combining knowledge and skills from across the fields of anthropology, criminology, forensics, and sociology. The criminology side is headed by Professor James Tuttle and will be contributing to the second week of the class, in which participants will review research on victimology, serial killer profiling, and the operation of the criminal justice system.

The goal is to introduce students to the process of locating and prosecuting offenders within the criminal justice system. This involves both the attempts to understand criminal offending, which is the purview of criminology, as well as the forensic techniques used to collect evidence on crime scenes. Participants should expect to learn some basics about criminal profiling as well as being a forensic crime scene investigator. Professor Tuttle is excited about the breadth of information students will be able to come in contact with over the duration of the course due to the contributions from multiple departments. And overall, he has high hopes for the course and thinks that participants are going to have a lot of fun and be a part of something they will never forget. Anthropology Professor Meradeth Snow is especially excited about the crime scene—you’ll have to see it to believe it.

If this gets your passion for crime bubbling, check out the Summer Explorations website for more information and to register before the April 15, 2024 deadline. We hope to see you soon, detective.

Warning:

Parents and students alike should be forewarned—though great care and responsibility are being taken by the University of Montana and the Anthropology and Sociology & Criminology Departments to respect the sensitive nature of this program and how it might affect its participants, caution should be exercised for those who are squeamish, susceptible, or otherwise sensitive to some of the simulated but real elements of a murder scene, the profiling process, and a mock trial. No human remains or real photographs will be used in this course, though the themes might be emotionally distressing. We ask that applicants truly consider the implications of this program and one’s own constitution. This program is designed to be insightful and eye-opening, but more than anything, it is designed to be fun. We thank you for your careful consideration.