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Point Park University's crime scene investigation house is an innovative and exciting facility for students to investigate crime scenarios as part of their course work and learn from instructors who are CSI experts in the region.

The crime scene house is part of a one-of-a-kind National Security Training Center at Point Park with a forensics lab, where students learn to analyze evidence such as hair, blood spatters and gunshot residue, and a computer lab with the most recent intelligence software so students can train for jobs as intelligence analysts.

Point Park's National Security Training Center helps train students to be an emergency first responder, to process a crime scene, to recognize and analyze evidence and to process the evidence for a court trial.

The center was created with help from grant money, including a $95,000 Congressionally-directed award the University received with support from U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter.

Point Park also received a $25,000 grant from the Remmel Foundation through the PNC Charitable Trust Grant Review Committee for equipment and renovation, and another $10,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development with the support of state Rep. Paul Costa.

Courses Offered

Courses taught at the CSI House include:

  • Development of the Death Investigation System

  • Accident/Suicide Death Investigation

  • Natural Death Investigation

  • Forensic Evidence I and II

  • Forensic Photography

Who uses the CSI House?

Although students majoring in the areas of criminal justice, forensic science and intelligence and national security are the primary users of the CSI House, students in other programs also use the facility.

For example, photojournalism majors can gain experience photographing a crime scene, student journalists can report on the crime, theatre majors may act in a scene of the crime occurring and technical theatre/design students can apply their creative stage-setting skills off stage.

The crime scene house is also available to support appropriate community groups.

For more information or to schedule a visit to the CSI house, contact Edward Strimlan, M.D., at 412-392-4756 or email estrimlan@pointpark.edu.

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