Registration Open for 2014 Forensic Genealogy Institute

[Below is a press release for the Forensic Genealogy Institute registration. The advanced track is new. I attended the "Foundations" section last year, and would be happy to answer any questions about it. Here is a recap of my experience.  --A.]


Registration for the Forensic Genealogy Institute is open at  http://www.forensicgenealogists.org/forensic-genealogy-institute.html

Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy is pleased to announce they will offer two courses at the 2014 Forensic Genealogy Institute at the Wyndham Love Field Hotel in Dallas, Texas.  "Foundations in Forensic Genealogy" will be held from Monday 24 March through Wednesday 26 March 2014.  Foundations is designed as a basis for the study of forensic genealogy.  It assumes the student has an intermediate or advanced level of understanding in genealogical research and explores the forensic genealogy landscape, application of forensic genealogical techniques to research, and career paths available to forensic genealogists.  It is a prerequisite course of study to the advanced level courses.

"Advanced Forensic Evidence Analysis" will be held from Thursday 27 March through Saturday 29 March 2014. New in 2014, this year's Advanced program will explore in-depth a number of applications of forensic genealogy to include the development and use of DNA in solving forensic genealogy problems, the repatriation process of military remains presented by the U.S. Department of Defense, forensic genealogy in mineral rights cases, and forensic document analysis.  These topics, along with others still being formulated, will be "hands on" discussions, case studies, and workshops.


Further information is available at  http://www.forensicgenealogists.com/forensic-genealogy-institute.html

Forensic Genealogy Institute Re-Cap, part 3

See Forensic Genealogy Institute Re-Cap part 2 here.

Hopefully the last 2 blog posts give you an idea of what to expect in the Forensic Genealogy Institute. This last section includes bits of information that may be of interest to you.

Qualifications
Are you experienced enough to attend the Forensic Genealogy Institute? That's something you have to determine. This is definitely not for beginners. At the very least, be an intermediate researcher with goals that match this group's mission. At least half of my class were practicing forensic genealogists. I am not, but followed along just fine and did well on the practicum. I'd consider my group to be advanced researchers. Questions were asked and encouraged, but they were on a higher level. Attendees should be comfortable with technology.

Certifications and fancy letters after your name
I was pleased to discover that the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy is developing a certification program that meets the standards and experience necessary to be qualified in the field of forensic genealogy. The exact name of the distinction and specific requirements are still being formed. The application process will likely include a report, written test, oral test and possibly interviews.

Forensic genealogy book in the works
Someone is working on a forensic genealogy book as we speak. I think it will be on the level -- and more current -- than Professional Genealogy. Sorry to be vague, but I didn't ask permission to talk about this one, so I don't know how much I can say. All I know is that I'm really looking forward to the publication of this book.

CAFG resource page
It just sits there quietly, but it's too good to keep a secret. Check out the CAFG resource page.

Mentor program
I learned about the CAFG mentor program during the institute and was very impressed with what I heard. I don't know of any other group that offers such an opportunity to learn the skills you need, guided by experienced professionals.

2014
The next Forensic Genealogy Institute will be March/April 2014. The date isn't cemented yet because they're trying to work around Easter. After the 3-day institute, there will be an opportunity to stay on for advanced tracks in certain forensic genealogy subjects. Only people who have completed the institute can attend advanced tracks.

Guess that's it. I learned a lot in 3 days. If you have any user-end questions about the institute, I'd be happy to answer them. If you have specific questions, you're better off emailing info@forensicgenealogists.org. They're a good group.

Forensic Genealogy Institute Re-Cap, part 2

See Forensic Genealogy Institute Re-Cap, part 1 here.

Now that I've shared the Forensic Genealogy Institute schedule, I'm going to tell you about then engine under the hood. Here's what you get for your registration fee:

Three full days of instruction
The 2013 Institute ran Thursday through Saturday (this may change in 2014). This sounds intense and scary, but the subject matter is extremely interesting. Also, the instructors kept everything moving, so I never felt bored, or tired. Often I lost track of time and was surprised when the day was over.

Small class size and instant professional network
The class size was about 25 people. That's it. This is cool because you get to know everyone and they become valuable qualified assets to your professional network. Before the Institute, we were instructed to bring business cards for exchange.

160+ page syllabus
Registered attendees received an electronic copy of the syllabus before the Institute. Paper copies were available by advance purchase. The syllabus is one of the best I've ever received. Each session hand an accompanying handout in the syllabus. A typical section included information on the subject (such as mineral rights), numerous links, resources and of course all the citations you need to find the information yourself.

Ample access to instructors
I really appreciated the availability of the instructors. While one was at the podium, the others were in the back of the room. They'd chime in to the discussion with their unique perspectives and experiences. If I had a question, the instructors were there during the breaks and meals. They were very forthcoming and honest, too. They even shared about mistakes early in their careers in the hopes attendees would not do the same.

Practical work experience
Each day we had a practicum where we were given the details of an actual forensic genealogy "case." We had some time at the end of the class day and our evenings to research the issue at hand. I can't share the specifics, but we were asked to find the heirs to a particular piece of land. Basically it was a matter of using the records of dead people to find living people.

Breakfast, lunch and snacks
My ticket to the Forensic Genealogy Institute included continental breakfast in the morning (fruit, pastries, coffee, juice, tea), lunch and afternoon snacks (often cookies).

A convenient location
The Institute was at a hotel next to Love Field in Dallas. People drove or flew in to either of the local airports. My room was very nice. There was a sports grill attached to the hotel.

That's it for the peek under the hood. For part 3 of the Forensic Genealogy Institute re-cap, click here.

Forensic Genealogy Institute Re-Cap, part 1

I did it! I completed the Forensic Genealogy Institute and have the paperwork to prove it.

This was a great event. I am so glad I had the chance to go. Kudos to the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy (CAFG) for developing such a fantastic learning opportunity.

When people hear "forensic," many automatically envision crime scene tape and coroner vans. Blame all the CSI shows for that one. In reality, the word forensic describes something suitable for use in a court of law. Thus, in our case, it's genealogical research, records and documents suitable for legal use.

The Forensic Genealogy Institute is a 3-day intensive course exploring different aspects of forensic genealogy.

Here's the schedule:

Thursday

Overview of the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy

Introduction to Forensic Genealogy
Discussion of the Role of the Genealogist
Guardianships
Real Estate and Rights of Way
Mineral Rights
Adoptions
Citizenship and Immigration
Capital Mitigation
Military Repatriation
Unidentified and Unclaimed Persons
Cold Cases

Forensic Genealogy Fees and Contracts
Ethics and Liability

Practicum

Friday

Finding the Living

Forensic Techniques for Genetic Genealogy

Missing & Unknown Heirs: 
Law Procedure for the Forensic Genealogist

Witness Roles
Mock Cross Examination

Practicum

Saturday

Practicum

Legal and Ethical Implications of Adoptions

Work Products and Client Documents

Preparation, Business Structure and Due Diligence

How to Identify Potential Markets and Clients
Examples of Successful Marketing Efforts

Conclusion, Class Evaluation and Certificates

Special thanks to CAFG for giving me permission to publish their schedule.

On to Forensic Genealogy Institute Re-Cap, part 2