Dr Simone Benhafsi, Lecturer in Criminology

What inspired the creation of Crime Scene Day?

Before becoming a lecturer, I spent more than 19 years working across the criminal justice system and the third sector. One of the things I enjoy most is bringing Criminology to life and giving students a real insight into the exciting world of criminal investigation, and how it could become their future career. 

I’m a big believer that learning should be hands-on, interactive, and fun. That’s why I created our immersive crime scene investigation activity, where students step into the roles of a real investigative team and tackle a murder case right here on the Westminster campus. 

What did the activity entail?

The scene is set with a realistic crime scene, complete with a victim, suspects to interview, witness statements to analyse, CCTV footage to examine, and a missing murder weapon to track down. Students are assigned professional roles, including Crime Scene Investigator, Detective, and Senior Investigating Officer, and must work together to piece together the evidence, identify the offender, and decide who should be arrested. 

What do you think students gain from it?

No two investigations are ever quite the same, and it’s amazing to watch students develop their teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills as the case unfolds. We've now run the activity three times, and every group has thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The feedback has been incredibly positive, with students valuing the opportunity to apply their learning in such a realistic and engaging way. 

Seeing students fully immerse themselves in the investigation and experience the thrill of solving a case is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. It’s always a pleasure to be part of their journey into the fascinating world of Criminology. 

Criminology Student Thoughts- Charlie

What was it like to take part in Crime Scene Day?

Back in December, I took part in the Criminology Crime Scene Day. My lecturer had set up a crime scene for me and the class to investigate so we could solve a case. It was an extremely fun day, as we got to walk all around the Westminster building, dressed up in crime scene suits, jackets and sunglasses, while working as a team to put together the clues that we had found around the crime scene as well those given to us by our Lead Crime Scene Investigator. 

Other than the fun dress-up, one of my favourite things that day was interviewing people, collaborating with my classmates to ask the right questions to get us where we needed. It was amazing to see how we were able to use real-life investigation tools such as analysis and interviews to put a timeline together, then sit down and discuss the case as a team. The whole process was a lot more engaging and required a lot more communication than you’d think. It was an amazing experience that helped me develop my ability to work in a team, communicate clearly with others, and build on other people's analysis.

Experience real-world learning and discover how you can get involved in Criminology at the University of Chester by visiting our course page.