Stevens creates CD-ROM added to crime books
By Emily Baker
Staff Reporter

Criminal justice instructor Kelli Stevens needed a crime scene — so she created one.

She splattered ketchup on her porch and tile entry way to simulate blood. She attached hair fibers to the weapon — a candle stick — and placed some strategic fingerprints. After rounding up some models to act as the victim, the attacker and a couple of police officers, Stevens had the makings of a realistic domestic violence crime scene.

The scene is part of a script Stevens wrote for a domestic violence scenario that will be included on a CD-ROM in criminal justice textbooks.

The CD-ROM will be interactive, offering students the ability to collect evidence, watch interviews of suspects and make decisions to help solve the crime, said Susan DeVanna, Stevens’ project manager.

Stevens photographed the staged crime scene, which will be included on the CD-ROM, and created the crime scenario for the students to figure out.

Before coming to TCU, Stevens was an adult probation officer, which she said taught her about the aspects of domestic violence.

“I would supervise offenders on probation for domestic violence assault and came to know the common criminal thinking errors associated with this phenomenon as well as characteristics of batterers,” she said. “Additionally, I would have contact with victims of domestic violence and came to understand why victims stay in these situations.”

DeVanna said she is in the beginning stages of working out a contract with a company that produces a “Law & Order” CD-ROM game. Stevens said she hopes to write material for a criminal investigation CD-ROM game that will use the format of a popular criminal justice television show

“We are very interested in merging our content with their high-quality media and game design,” she said.

In the meantime, Stevens said she is working on a few more projects.

“I am currently working on three projects with several more lined up for the summer, all of which involve developing content for companion Web sites for textbooks published by Wadsworth,” Stevens said. “The content I develop includes quizzing, discussion forums, Internet activities and Powerpoint slides.”

Stevens said she has already completed an online criminal justice companion located at the criminal justice link at (www.wadsworth.com). This site includes information about technology used by law enforcement, such as global positioning satellite technology, video systems, body search scanners and 9-1-1, Stevens said.

The simulation CD will be packaged with the eighth edition of “Criminal Investigations” by Karen Hess and Wayne Bennett, which is scheduled to be released in 2004, Stevens said.

e.k.baker@tcu.edu