Sheela Na Gig Episode 19: Francis Glessner Lee

Frances Glessner Lee, Lee was a talented artist as well as criminologist and is considered the mother of forensic science. She dedicated her life to the advancement of forensic medicine and scientific crime detection. Lee was also a diorama-maker, criminal investigation educator and the first female police captain in the US. She effectively and uniquely straddled the intersection between craft and forensic science, co-opting traditionally feminine crafts to advance the male-dominated field of police investigation and to establish herself as one of its leading voices, during the first half of the 20th century. Lee created what's known as The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, twenty true crime scene dioramas recreated in minute detail at dollhouse scale, beginning in the 1940s to teach investigators to properly canvass a crime scene to effectively uncover and understand evidence. The equivalent to “virtual reality” in their time, her masterfully crafted dioramas feature handmade objects to render scenes with exacting accuracy and meticulous detail. At the time, there was very little training for investigators, meaning that they often overlooked or mishandled key evidence, or irrevocably tampered with crime scenes. Also, few had any medical training that would allow them to determine cause of death, at that time. Lee's dioramas were composites of real crimes, but the settings and details were imagined by her. They are still used today for teaching purposes by the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Do yourself a huge favor. listen to our podcast & then take a look at Lee's "Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death". They are astoundingly detailed and precise. We'd LOVE to know what you think! Let's start a conversation! Thank you for listening!

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