Cultural Anthropology for Crime Scene Investigators is a hands-on course combining lecture, multi-media presentation, and activities designed to familiarize investigators with cross-cultural encounters with practitioners, artifacts, and sacred spaces at crime scenes. Investigators will become familiar with traditional cultures frequently misidentified as ‘cults’ as opposed to living traditional cultures.
Students in this class will gain an understanding of cultural anthropology and its application to interpretation of ceremonies, rites of passage, and material culture. The class will look at cultural relativism and controversial topics including animal sacrifice and the use of human remains in religious shrines. The class focuses on communicating respect for cultural traditions while focusing on performing professional investigations.
This three-day course will inform attendees of:
Key Topics
The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft
The Presence of Culture at Crime Scenes
Shrines and Sacred Spaces
Cross-Cultural Communication with Practitioners
Trends in Religion and the Cultural use of Psychotropic Drugs
Trends in Human Trafficking and Cultural Appropriation
Religious Artifacts and Evidence
Avoiding Violating Sacred Activities and Constitutional Protection
Goal The goal of this program is to provide in-depth knowledge of ethnic and religious cultures. The course will prepare attendees to look at cultures through an anthropological lens. Attendees will learn to interpret cultural symbols, artifacts, and sacred spaces that may be encountered in the course of investigations. Consideration is given to material culture found at scenes including herbs, oils, and powders. Lastly, attendees will gain an understanding into many of the misunderstood but constitutionally protected religions and cultures they may encounter in the field.
This course has been approved by the Crime Scene Certification board for 24 hours of certification/recertification training credits.
Tony Kail
As a former deputy sheriff and practicing cultural anthropologist, Tony Kail has over 25 years experience in researching and documenting African and esoteric religious cultures throughout the U.S. and Africa.
