Forensics Class at John Jay

Forensics+Class+at+John+Jay

Trying to decide which classes to take next year? Choosing an interesting elective can definitely be a tough decision. I’ve taken a number of electives and personally can say that this Forensics is by far one of my most favorite electives that I’ve taken in my high school career at John Jay. Forensics is a relatively low-stress class (which I know is a big factor in choosing classes), with a low workload. In Forensics class, it’s a rare occasion to have homework, most work or labs are done in class which definitely is a plus. Although, it’s important to study for the unit quizzes which occur every few weeks.

On a typical day in Forensics, you might take a few notes, start a lab or even a movie. The labs that Mr. Plutzker assigns are all interesting and similar to some of the investigating, which a police officer might do at a crime scene. Mr. Plutzker brings in an actual criminal sketch artist who teaches you how to draw real criminal portraits! Chief Police Officer Secret also made multiple appearances in our class and taught us how to thoroughly lift fingerprints; something he has had to do multiple times in his career. We also take shoeprints and fingerprints, using the same technique as criminal detectives would. In this class, you will also investigate famous criminal cases such as the OJ Simpson case, Assassination of Kennedy, and Ted Bundy cases. Mr. Plutzker has been teaching this class for the past two years and is an engaging and overall fun teacher. I highly recommend taking Forensics if you have any interest in shows such as: Law and Order, CSI, NCIS, or Forensic Files. If you love science or are interested in forensics, this class is perfect for you! Junior, Sarah Angot, reflects on the class: “I took forensics because I want to go into the field of Forensic Psychology, I wanted to get a basis for what I’ll be taking in college. All the labs were fun and interesting and Mr. Plutzker is really great.”