Science Centre Fingerprint Workshop
20 July 2006
The Scottish Fingerprint Service (SFS) provided support to the Glasgow Science Centre to launch a new educational forensic workshop designed to give Scotland's schoolchildren an insight into forensic science.
The new workshop, which is called ‘It Wasnae Me', introduces children to forensic science by asking them to investigate the disappearance of Glasgow Science Centre's resident skeleton - the aptly named Mr Bones. Pupils learn how to analyse fingerprints and other crime scene evidence to figure out which of the suspects is the culprit.
Public and press interest in forensic science is high, echoed by the success of shows like Crime Scene Investigation and writers like Malcolm Rose and Patricia Cornwell. The workshops aim to inspire pupils to take an interest in forensic science and to consider a career in the area.
The Glasgow bureau of the SFS, provided expert know-how on identifying fingerprints, giving an inside track on how real fingerprint experts do it.
The SFS also helped Glasgow Science Centre source equipment and used their professional equipment to provide 'crime' and 'suspects'' prints for analysis.
Alex McGinnies, a Training Officer at the SFS, said: "Forensic science, including fingerprinting, is one of the most fascinating and rewarding careers to work in and these workshops are a great way to give young people an insight into this area in a fun and imaginative way.
"Since its introduction in the UK more than 100 years ago, fingerprint identification is still widely used to catch criminals and unlike facial characteristics, blood groups or even DNA, there are no two people in the world who share an identical fingerprint."
‘It Wasnae Me' is designed for children aged from primary 4 to second year and further details can be found here.