Wannabe crime fighters - May the Force be with you at the Festival of Crime

There’s no mystery to the best place to be this May 4th for aspiring detectives and fans of crime dramas and true crime podcasts. 

The internationally renowned School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Portsmouth is throwing open its doors to anyone interested in the latest developments in tackling and understanding crime. 

The Festival of Crime on Saturday 4 May will be an interactive showcase for a range of new techniques and developments that are being taught to police officers, forensic specialists and legal professionals from all over the world.

Entrance is free, and visitors of all ages will be able to get involved in a wide range of crime solving activities - from cracking criminal cases through quizzes and puzzles, to walking through interactive crime scenes like a Crime Scene Investigator. There will be a chance to meet police officers and crime writers, as well as jump into the dock or witness box on a visit to a mock courtroom used for training. 

Criminal and forensic psychologists will help visitors gain an understanding of the criminal mind. There will also be experts in cybercrime, cyber security and computer forensics on hand to show how online threats and international gangs are being dealt with by law enforcement at home and abroad. Bestselling crime author Elly Griffiths, will also be available to share her thoughts on fact versus fiction. 

Professor Paul Smith, Head of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Portsmouth, said:  “If you’re fascinated by crime, the criminal justice process and  forensics, or want to want to study or work in this crucial sector, then the Festival of Crime is definitely for you. We will put the latest techniques under the magnifying glass, and give visitors a chance to get hands in recreated crime scenes. It is a great opportunity to learn more about how law enforcement works in solving and preventing all manner of crimes.”

Across the day there will be: 

• Interactive CSI: Walk through interactive crime scenes and displays and help solve the crime
• Forensic science displays: Test your skills at identifying microscopic traces and matching finger marks recovered from the crime scene 
• Understanding the criminal mind: Our psychologists present an interactive display on our understanding of the human mind and criminal activity
• In the dock: Visit and try out our fully functioning mock courtroom where we train legal professions and law enforcement personnel
• Meet the crime writers: Meet the Sunday Times number one bestselling author Elly Griffiths, creator of the Dr Ruth Galloway mysteries
• Investigation dogs: A display of detection dogs in action
• Local services: Meet with the team at Hampshire Police, plus more services to be announced 
• Our experts: Criminal and forensic psychologists on hand to talk through understanding the criminal mind as well as cybercrime, cyber security and forensic computing experts with displays and presentations showing how we combat international cybercrime and cyber threats
• Our students: Meet the university's current students and hear how they’re shaping their careers to combat crime
• Plus lots more including history of crime in Portsmouth, wildlife crime, cybercrime and forensic linguistics

Visitors are asked to register for the event at: https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/events/festival-of-crime