LW Students Partner With Will County For Forensic Experience

NEW LENOX, IL — Students from all three Lincoln-Way high schools were able to study a “crime scene” alongside officers from the Will County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigations unit, the Will County Coroner’s Office and Will County Forest Preserve. The district said Will County CSI and Coroner staff have been attending a Taphonomy and Entomology course, using pig carcasses in various stages of decay.

On the final day, they allowed Lincoln-Way students to get a first hand look as to how CSI uses body decomposition and insect morphology to determine what is going on at a crime scene.

The pigs were placed throughout the forest preserve demonstrating how time, weather and location breaks down the decaying process. Through this experience, the school said students were able to observe the stages, collect bugs and check body temperature.

“I want to be a cop. It’s good experience for the future job,” said Andrew Whited, a senior at Lincoln-Way Central.

“I thought it was really interesting and I can’t wait to see how this helps in my career as a neurosurgeon,” said Amya Bryant, a junior at Lincoln-Way East.

“I like to provide an experience that is as realistic as possible, so kids who are thinking about it, know if they can handle it. Or maybe it’s something they’re not ready for and they should start looking in different directions,” said Benjamin Voliva, Lincoln-Way East science teacher.

“Working with these kids has been a delight because they’re very enthusiastic. I was kind of surprised they jumped right in the way they did. So there might be a few crime scene investigators here, maybe a few deputy coroners,” said Terry Bergin, who is a deputy with the Will County Sheriff’s CSI unit.