By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
June 25, 2002
Court TV’s Mobile Investigation Unit
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Wednesday
WHERE: Lincolnwood Town Center, 3333 W. Touhy, Lincolnwood
TICKETS: Free
CALL: (847) 674-9220
When most of us think about forensics, we flash to images of body fluids, hair and fiber.
But when Court TV’s Mobile Investiga-tion Unit rolls into the Lincolnwood Town Center in Lincolnwood today, it’ll be more of a flour and sugar whodunit. The tour will give kids a chance to solve the elusive caper of “Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar.”
“Certainly people tend to think of blood and gore when they hear the word ‘forensics,’ but it really has to do with physical evidence of any kind,” says Evan Shapiro, Court TV’s senior vice president of marketing. “Forensics has become a genre of its own on television, and we certainly do well with it. So we wanted to bring something into communities where children could learn about it and have fun at the same time, going from one kiosk to another digging up clues and hopefully solving the mystery.”
It’ll take 30 to 45 minutes for each child (or adult) to visit each of the six kiosks and try to deduce the correct answer at this forensicspalooza. There are seven suspects to start with, false leads and a virtual witness to interrogate. But regardless of whether you figure out who stole the cookie, each visitor will receive a personal forensic file, complete with digital fingerprints and photos to keep on file.
And in case you’re an adult who can’t convince any youngster to be your cover at this event, you can go solo. There’s no age limit for the wannabe sleuths.
“At the beginning of the tour [in April in Philadelphia], we got some adults who seemed a little embarrassed at coming to a ‘kids’ event,’ ” Shapiro says. “It’s certainly got a child-friendly look and feel to it with the cartoons and all, but it’s aimed at anybody who’s curious. We like to think it’s for everyone 8 to 80 years old.
“One of the biggest compliments was when the head of a forensics department attended one of our events, went through the entire investigation and was engrossed by the whole process. He even gave us this composite sketch software that now goes on tour with us.”
