Advanced Ridgeology Science Workshop

This five day course, combines detailed lecture regarding the scientific basis for friction ridge identification with intense latent print comparison practical exercises. The lecture material incorporates the Ridgeology concepts of David Ashbaugh with the practical application techniques developed by Pat Wertheim.
Lectures to improve a student’s overall knowledge of the fundamentals supporting Ridgeology science, the ability to make tough identifications and improve an examiner’s efficiency in doing comparisons include but not limited to recognition of ridge pattern “clues”, identifying which finger or which area of skin made a particular latent impression, the correct use of 3rd level detail the philosophy and “ACE-V” methodology of comparing and identifying latent prints, the fundamental principles of permanence and individuality, a detailed look into the accepted analysis of latent prints, and non-friction ridge skin comparison and identification.

Price: Contact for Pricing

Hosting a Course

Hosting & Attending
a Course FAQ

Forensic Pieces Calendar

"I would like to thank you for everything you and your course did to help me prepare for the IAI Certification Testing. I have been to many other trainings by different companies where they will list the course as an 8-5 course, but then they cut them sho

IAI Certification Test Preparation - December 10 - 14, 2018 (West Palm Beach PD)
“Very knowledgeable instructor. Relevant question and answer sessions.”

Advanced Bloodstain, Mesa, AZ (Mesa Police Department)
“Jan is an asset to the field of forensics.”

Basic Bloodstain, Greensboro, NC (Guilford County S.O.)
“One of the best instructors I have ever had. Please, for the benefit of crime scene, keep teaching.”

ABC’s of Bloodstain Documentation, Chipley, FL (Washington County S.O.)
“Jan lived up to her reputation as a great instructor! She has a wealth of knowledge to share. I would not hesitate to take another of her classes.”

Buried Body & Surface Skeleton Workshop, Miami, FL (Miami-Dade P.D.)
“Jan is absolutely awesome. She has so much knowledge and experience and she communicates on a level that anyone can understand. Great interaction with students- -oversees but allows and encourages you to think for yourself.

Buried Body & Surface Skeleton Workshop, Miami, FL (Miami-Dade P.D.)
“She is great, extremely helpful, and thorough. The way she explains each topic helps those with less experience, for me that is key.”

Buried Body & Surface Skeleton Workshop, Miami, FL (Miami-Dade P.D.)
“Jan Johnson does an awesome job presenting class material from the perspective of someone who has actually done crime scene work… We need to get more classes like this one”

Crime Scene Reconstruction, Greensboro, NC (Guilford Technical Community College)
“One word- Phenomenal! Looking forward to my next class with Jan.”

Shooting Reconstruction, Miami, FL (Miami-Dade P.D.)
“Very, very, very good. Great class. In fact, probably the most informative class I’ve ever taken. The practical exercises were very beneficial. I learned things I will actually use!”

Shooting Reconstruction, Miami, FL (Miami-Dade P.D.)
“She was a delight. Extremely knowledgeable and very willing to share all her knowledge. She had awesome stories to share with the class and came well prepared to each and every class. Excellent job!”

Shooting Reconstruction, Miami, FL (Miami-Dade P.D.)
"Jan was very friendly! She possesses an amazing amount of knowlegde for her field of study."

Advanced Crime Scene For Law Enforcement, Ocean City, MD (Ocean City Police Department)
"Had a wonderful time. Excellent instructor who has a great deal of knowledge. Overall, the class was excellent and I definitely would attend another class presented by you."

Advanced Crime Scene For Law Enforcement, Ocean City, MD (Ocean City Police Department))
"Jan's knowledge is unsurpassed. A formal day by day syllabus and a course outline of Power Point from day maximizes class time. The hands on time was key to my learning."

Advanced Crime Scene For Law Enforcement, Ocean City, MD (Ocean City Police Department)
"Our department should consider having Jan host all other classes pertaining to the CSU and our discipline"

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Identification, San Antonio, TX (San Antonio Police Department)
"Instructor had great rapport with all students. Very helpful in explaining the course material. Very useful classroom presentation."

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Identification, San Antonio, TX (San Antonio Police Department)
"Jan is tops in my book, she really provides you with all you need to make the most of the course."

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Identification, San Antonio, TX (San Antonio Police Department)
"Your dynamic seminar got me going. I haven't taken that many useful notes since veterinary school, and I will apply the information in the reports that I write. Thank you for sharing your experiences and expertise."

Report Writing Seminar, St. Pete Beach, FL (University of Florida)
"I attended your class in San Antonio, TX in February 2012. I passed the test and am now a Certified Crime Scene Analyst. Thank you for your dedication to this profession and all of your help. I will certainly recommend your training classes."

IAI Crime Scene Certification Test Preparation: CCSI, CCSA & CSCSA San Antonio, TX (San Antonio PD)
"The instructor was amazing. She was very easy to understand. She made learning fun. I enjoyed the hands on experiments very much. I would definitely take another class with her."

Basic Bloodstain Analysis Shreveport, LA (Shreveport Police Department)
"The course is well planned, organized, interesting, and an enjoyable learning experience."

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Shreveport, LA (Shreveport Police Department)
" I enjoyed the class. I learned a lot. Really excellent class."

Basic Bloodstain Analysis, Shreveport, LA (Shreveport Police Department)
"Excellent instructor. I have very little training in this aspect of police work. She was able to easily convey the information in a way that I was able to understand. She also had a good sense of humor that made the class fun."

Shooting Reconstruction, North Las Vegas, NV (North Las Vegas Police Department)
"Great course from an expert in the field!"

Shooting Reconstruction, North Las Vegas, NV (North Las Vegas Police Department)
"Excellent case studies. Excellent field activities. Hands on is the best way to learn!"

Shooting Reconstruction, North Las Vegas, NV (North Las Vegas Police Department)
"You were wonderful. Your knowledge and passion was obvious which allowed me to recall the information with ease. The course was interesting, fun and extremely useful. I hope to attend future classes instructed by you."

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Memphis, TN (Memphis Police Department)
"Wow! This course was amazing. I wish we could take you to every scene. This class changed my perspective on how to really examine scenes and not to have preconceived notions. Thank you."

Crime Scene Staging: Early Detection and Analysis, Camarillo, CA. (Ventura County Sheriff's Office)
"Outstanding Jan! I am glad to have met you. You have definitely opened my eyes on how I look at crime scenes with blood."

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Memphis, TN (Memphis Police Department)
"This is an outstanding course and should be taught to all CSI and Investigators."

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Memphis, TN (Memphis Police Department)
"The course was excellent. Exceeded my expectation. I would recommend this course to any and all law enforcement agencies. The instructor (Jan Johnson) was great!"

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Memphis, TN (Memphis Police Department)
"Best course ever. Best instructor. Very informative. Definitely recommend."

Shooting Reconstruction, Memphis, TN (Memphis Police Department)
"Great information. Great instructor. Great job."

Shooting Reconstruction, Memphis, TN (Memphis Police Department)
"I really enjoyed this class! You are extremely personable and knowledgeable! I appreciate you sharing all of your knowledge and information with our class! Thank you for all you do."

Shooting Reconstruction, Memphis, TN (Memphis Police Department)
"This class was awesome! Don't change a thing."

Advanced Bloodstain, Mesa, AZ (Mesa Police Department)
"Thoroughly enjoyed course and it was just the right mixture of lecture, case studies, and practical exercises."

Advanced Bloodstain, Mesa, AZ (Mesa Police Department)
"This was a great class. Jan's calm demeanor is so nice. I can't think of any way to change the class or instructor."

Advanced Bloodstain, Mesa, AZ (Mesa Police Department)
"The team approach was a great tool. Enabled me to interact and gain knowledge from other students as well as the instructor. Small class size was great. Interaction time with group and instructor was above average. Keep doing it!"

Basic Bloodstain Analysis Medford, MA (Medford Police Department)
"Great course, great instructor. Kept material interesting with her fluid presentation style."

Basic Bloodstain Analysis Medford, MA (Medford Police Department)
"Gave us a new outlook at blood evidence within a crime scene. Instructor was great at teaching the course. She made a complex class into an easy class!"

Basic Bloodstain Analysis Medford, MA (Medford Police Department)
"Just as amazing as Jan's bloodstain class!"

Crime Scene Reconstruction, Palm Springs, FL (Palm Springs Police Department)
"Everything was very informative and well taught. Instructor was absolutely amazing."

Crime Scene Reconstruction, Palm Springs, FL (Palm Springs Police Department)
"Jan was an excellent instructor. Easy to understand."

Forensic Fire Investigation Photography, Fredericton, NB (Fredericton Fire Department)
"All three instructors were very knowledgeable and engaging. Good tie to real world experience. All instructors were careful to ensure that all participants gained the knowledge before moving to the next topic."

Forensic Fire Investigation Photography, Fredericton, NB (Fredericton Fire Department)
"Well put together. Course was excellent."

Forensic Fire Investigation Photography, Fredericton, NB (Fredericton Fire Department)
"Excellent course, Instructor was easy to follow, material was relevant and up to date. Great class environment."

Shooting Reconstruction-December 2014 El Centro, CA (US Border Patrol)
"Mrs. Johnson is a great instructor. Very interesting and full of experience. Always makes sure everyone understands before moving on to next subject. Thank you so much for making learning easy and fun!"

Shooting Reconstruction-December 2014 El Centro, CA (US Border Patrol)
"Jan is awesome! She obviously loves her work and is enthusiastic, and it shows!"

Shooting Reconstruction-December 2014 El Centro, CA (US Border Patrol)
"Jan Johnson's instruction of this class was excellent. I was able to understand every thing that she explained in the class."

Shooting Reconstruction, Davie, FL (Davie Police Department)
"The instructor was very knowledgeable and approachable. I loved learning about real cases that were worked as examples."

Shooting Reconstruction, Davie, FL (Davie Police Department)
"Jan is an amazing instructor! She has a lot of knowledge and the love for her job really shows! I love being in her classes, they are intense but so worth it!"

Advanced Crime Scene Investigation, Stuart, FL (Martin County Sheriff's Office)
"This course was informative and enjoyable-as always! Jan is a great source of crime scene knowledge and experience."

Advanced Crime Scene Investigation, Stuart, FL (Martin County Sheriff's Office)
"By far one of the best trainings I have been to in my 14 year L.E. career."

Staged Crime Scene Investigations, Spokane Valley, WA (Spokane Valley S.O.)
"Jan has an unprecedented passion for crime scene and crime scene reconstruction. She is incredibly knowledgeable and provides clear and concise instruction."

Shooting Reconstruction, San Antonio, TX (San Antonio Police Department)
"I was afriad that with 25 years on that I would be lost on the subject. Jan Johnson kept the learning fun and it was probably the best course I've ever had!"

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Appleton, WI (Fox Valley Technical College)
"Outstanding instructor who pushes not only science, but integrity. She provides an amazing example to aspire to. I was honored to learn from her."

Kathleen Birnbaum's Advanced Ridgeology Science Workshop - Indianapolis, IN November 2016
"I try to go back to basics periodically to make sure I stay fresh with all of the details and methods that tend to get rusty without practical applications. You definitely brought light to some things my unit can improve on."

Buried Body and Surface Skeleton, Palm Springs, FL (Palm Springs Police Department)
"Requiring class attendees to present PowerPoint discussions of course work was an excellent idea. Up untill now, I'd never done one; I was afraid to try it at first, but learning to do so was an added bonus!!"

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Appleton, WI (Fox Valley Technical College)
"Learned more in this class than I have learned in any class since college."

Advanced Crime Scene Investigations - Florence, AL (UNAL)
"Love the examples, they made the class interesting and give a lot of good ideas of what to look for at a possible staged scene."

Staged Crime Scene Investigations, Spokane Valley, WA (Spokane Valley S.O.)
"There's nothing better than training that allows the participants to have as much hands-on training as you provided to our group. Your presentation of the material and the types of equipment demonstrate your experience as an instructor."

Buried Body and Surface Skeleton - Palm Springs, FL (Palm Springs Police Department)
"Instructor is obviously very knowledgeable. Encouraged class participation. Use of humor and relaxed easy-going manner made for an enjoyable class, although the subject matter could have been daunting."

Jeff Goudeau's Courtroom Testimony Made Easy Course - Jupiter, FL - September 2016
"Instructor was excellent. She was very good at making the presentations engaging and was able to convey a lot of information. It's obvious that she is a great examiner and vastly educated in the field of latents."

Kathleen Birnbaum's Advanced Ridgeology Science Workshop - Indianapolis, IN November 2016
"Very informative and entertaining. Kept my interest throughout the entire week. Instructor was extremely easy to talk to and ask questions."

Buried Body and Surface Skeleton - San Mateo, CA - August 2016
"Really appreciate your 'Let's have fun get it done' attitude. Jan, this was a learning experience for me and though it was a little nerve-racking at first, I enjoyed the course."

Buried Body and Surface Skeleton - San Mateo, CA - September 2016
"Course was extremely well done and planned out. The instructor was excellent and obviously an expert in this area."

Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis - Columbiana, AL - January 2017
"Instructors were fantastic! I believe the way things were explained were clear and concise. It has definitely left me with a better understanding of how my camera works."

King Brown and Dawn Watkins' Digital Crime Scene and Autopsy Photography Course - Lancaster, PA - February 2017
"Both instructors were very approachable and showed an eagerness and willingness to teach and provide additional information on a one to one basis during breaks."

King Brown and Dawn Watkins' Digital Crime Scene and Autopsy Photography Course - Lancaster, PA - February 2017
"I thougth the class was a perfect balance of lecture time and practial, real-world exercises. A perfect course for an introduction into forensic studies. The hands-on experience has planted a permanent interest in forensics."

Basic Crime Scene Investigations - Bethlehem, PA - June 2017
"The fact that the comparison packets are adjusted to each individual and that they can vary in difficulty is amazing! No other class is like that."

Kathleen Birnbaum's Advanced Ridgeology Science Workshop - 2017 Meridian, ID (Idaho State Police)

Forensic Pieces Offers Training Courses in The Following Subject Areas:

Crime Scene Investivation and Reconstruction:

Forensic Pathology Courses to Include:

Child and Infant Death Investigations

Other Available Courses:

Site by

Forensic Pieces

Advanced Ridgeology Science Workshop

Price: Contact for Pricing

"I would like to thank you for everything you and your course did to help me prepare for the IAI Certification Testing. I have been to many other trainings by different companies where they will list the course as an 8-5 course, but then they cut them sho

“Very knowledgeable instructor. Relevant question and answer sessions.”

“Jan is an asset to the field of forensics.”

“One of the best instructors I have ever had. Please, for the benefit of crime scene, keep teaching.”

“Jan lived up to her reputation as a great instructor! She has a wealth of knowledge to share. I would not hesitate to take another of her classes.”

“Jan is absolutely awesome. She has so much knowledge and experience and she communicates on a level that anyone can understand. Great interaction with students- -oversees but allows and encourages you to think for yourself.

“She is great, extremely helpful, and thorough. The way she explains each topic helps those with less experience, for me that is key.”

“Jan Johnson does an awesome job presenting class material from the perspective of someone who has actually done crime scene work… We need to get more classes like this one”

“One word- Phenomenal! Looking forward to my next class with Jan.”

“Very, very, very good. Great class. In fact, probably the most informative class I’ve ever taken. The practical exercises were very beneficial. I learned things I will actually use!”

“She was a delight. Extremely knowledgeable and very willing to share all her knowledge. She had awesome stories to share with the class and came well prepared to each and every class. Excellent job!”

"Jan was very friendly! She possesses an amazing amount of knowlegde for her field of study."

"Had a wonderful time. Excellent instructor who has a great deal of knowledge. Overall, the class was excellent and I definitely would attend another class presented by you."

"Jan's knowledge is unsurpassed. A formal day by day syllabus and a course outline of Power Point from day maximizes class time. The hands on time was key to my learning."

"Our department should consider having Jan host all other classes pertaining to the CSU and our discipline"

"Instructor had great rapport with all students. Very helpful in explaining the course material. Very useful classroom presentation."

"Jan is tops in my book, she really provides you with all you need to make the most of the course."

"Your dynamic seminar got me going. I haven't taken that many useful notes since veterinary school, and I will apply the information in the reports that I write. Thank you for sharing your experiences and expertise."

"I attended your class in San Antonio, TX in February 2012. I passed the test and am now a Certified Crime Scene Analyst. Thank you for your dedication to this profession and all of your help. I will certainly recommend your training classes."

"The instructor was amazing. She was very easy to understand. She made learning fun. I enjoyed the hands on experiments very much. I would definitely take another class with her."

"The course is well planned, organized, interesting, and an enjoyable learning experience."

" I enjoyed the class. I learned a lot. Really excellent class."

"Excellent instructor. I have very little training in this aspect of police work. She was able to easily convey the information in a way that I was able to understand. She also had a good sense of humor that made the class fun."

"Great course from an expert in the field!"

"Excellent case studies. Excellent field activities. Hands on is the best way to learn!"

"You were wonderful. Your knowledge and passion was obvious which allowed me to recall the information with ease. The course was interesting, fun and extremely useful. I hope to attend future classes instructed by you."

"Wow! This course was amazing. I wish we could take you to every scene. This class changed my perspective on how to really examine scenes and not to have preconceived notions. Thank you."

"Outstanding Jan! I am glad to have met you. You have definitely opened my eyes on how I look at crime scenes with blood."

"This is an outstanding course and should be taught to all CSI and Investigators."

"The course was excellent. Exceeded my expectation. I would recommend this course to any and all law enforcement agencies. The instructor (Jan Johnson) was great!"

"Best course ever. Best instructor. Very informative. Definitely recommend."

"Great information. Great instructor. Great job."

"I really enjoyed this class! You are extremely personable and knowledgeable! I appreciate you sharing all of your knowledge and information with our class! Thank you for all you do."

"This class was awesome! Don't change a thing."

"Thoroughly enjoyed course and it was just the right mixture of lecture, case studies, and practical exercises."

"This was a great class. Jan's calm demeanor is so nice. I can't think of any way to change the class or instructor."

"The team approach was a great tool. Enabled me to interact and gain knowledge from other students as well as the instructor. Small class size was great. Interaction time with group and instructor was above average. Keep doing it!"

"Great course, great instructor. Kept material interesting with her fluid presentation style."

"Gave us a new outlook at blood evidence within a crime scene. Instructor was great at teaching the course. She made a complex class into an easy class!"

"Just as amazing as Jan's bloodstain class!"

"Everything was very informative and well taught. Instructor was absolutely amazing."

"Jan was an excellent instructor. Easy to understand."

"All three instructors were very knowledgeable and engaging. Good tie to real world experience. All instructors were careful to ensure that all participants gained the knowledge before moving to the next topic."

"Well put together. Course was excellent."

"Excellent course, Instructor was easy to follow, material was relevant and up to date. Great class environment."

"Mrs. Johnson is a great instructor. Very interesting and full of experience. Always makes sure everyone understands before moving on to next subject. Thank you so much for making learning easy and fun!"

"Jan is awesome! She obviously loves her work and is enthusiastic, and it shows!"

"Jan Johnson's instruction of this class was excellent. I was able to understand every thing that she explained in the class."

"The instructor was very knowledgeable and approachable. I loved learning about real cases that were worked as examples."

"Jan is an amazing instructor! She has a lot of knowledge and the love for her job really shows! I love being in her classes, they are intense but so worth it!"

"This course was informative and enjoyable-as always! Jan is a great source of crime scene knowledge and experience."

"By far one of the best trainings I have been to in my 14 year L.E. career."

"Jan has an unprecedented passion for crime scene and crime scene reconstruction. She is incredibly knowledgeable and provides clear and concise instruction."

"I was afriad that with 25 years on that I would be lost on the subject. Jan Johnson kept the learning fun and it was probably the best course I've ever had!"

"Outstanding instructor who pushes not only science, but integrity. She provides an amazing example to aspire to. I was honored to learn from her."

"I try to go back to basics periodically to make sure I stay fresh with all of the details and methods that tend to get rusty without practical applications. You definitely brought light to some things my unit can improve on."

"Requiring class attendees to present PowerPoint discussions of course work was an excellent idea. Up untill now, I'd never done one; I was afraid to try it at first, but learning to do so was an added bonus!!"

"Learned more in this class than I have learned in any class since college."

"Love the examples, they made the class interesting and give a lot of good ideas of what to look for at a possible staged scene."

"There's nothing better than training that allows the participants to have as much hands-on training as you provided to our group. Your presentation of the material and the types of equipment demonstrate your experience as an instructor."

"Instructor is obviously very knowledgeable. Encouraged class participation. Use of humor and relaxed easy-going manner made for an enjoyable class, although the subject matter could have been daunting."

"Instructor was excellent. She was very good at making the presentations engaging and was able to convey a lot of information. It's obvious that she is a great examiner and vastly educated in the field of latents."

"Very informative and entertaining. Kept my interest throughout the entire week. Instructor was extremely easy to talk to and ask questions."

"Really appreciate your 'Let's have fun get it done' attitude. Jan, this was a learning experience for me and though it was a little nerve-racking at first, I enjoyed the course."

"Course was extremely well done and planned out. The instructor was excellent and obviously an expert in this area."

"Instructors were fantastic! I believe the way things were explained were clear and concise. It has definitely left me with a better understanding of how my camera works."

"Both instructors were very approachable and showed an eagerness and willingness to teach and provide additional information on a one to one basis during breaks."

"I thougth the class was a perfect balance of lecture time and practial, real-world exercises. A perfect course for an introduction into forensic studies. The hands-on experience has planted a permanent interest in forensics."

"The fact that the comparison packets are adjusted to each individual and that they can vary in difficulty is amazing! No other class is like that."

Forensic Pieces Offers Training Courses in The Following Subject Areas:

Crime Scene Investivation and Reconstruction:

Forensic Pathology Courses to Include:

Other Available Courses: