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Intro to Forensic Science > Before the Midterm > Flashcards

Before the Midterm Flashcards

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0
Q

The body or basic elements of a crime are described by the Latin term:

A

Corpus delicti

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1
Q

Forensic science differs from the traditional sciences because the results of physical evidence are:

A

Used in legal proceedings

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2
Q

What acronym refers to the computer database of DNA profiles?

A

CODIS

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3
Q

What acronym refers to a computer database of fingerprints?

A

AFIS

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4
Q

What individual established one of the worlds first police crime laboratories in Lyon, France in 1910?

A

Edmond locard

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5
Q

What forensic organization is involved in the accreditation of forensic laboratories and crime scene units?

A

ASCLD/LAB

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6
Q

The scientific method is

A

A multistep method of inquiry used by scientists, a method used by investigators to reconstruct crime scene evidence

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7
Q

What is not considered a manner of death

A

Asphyxiation

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8
Q

What is considered a cause of death?

A

Asphyxiation

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9
Q

The science that examines the effects of extraneous materials such as poisons on the human body is known as

A

Toxicology

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10
Q

True or false: suicide is considered a cause of death

A

False

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11
Q

True or false: Calvin Goddard established a crime lab in Chicago in 1929 and believed in using fire arms evidence in investigations

A

True

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12
Q

True or false: AFIS is a computer database containing images of bullets and cartridge cases

A

False

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13
Q

True or false: a forensic pathologist may specialize in the profiling of perpetrators in serial murders or serial rapist cases

A

False

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14
Q

True or false: Criminalistics is a forensic science discipline that involves recognition, identification, individualization, and evaluation of physical evidence using methods of science.

A

True

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15
Q

Define forensic science

A

A natural science that is applied to the law

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16
Q

Explain the main difference between the corner system and the medical examiner system

A

A coroner is elected and does not have to be an actual doctor, and a medical examiner must be a MD

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17
Q

List the four basic steps of the scientific method

A
  • observation
  • formulate hypothesis
  • test hypothesis
  • record and retest several times to determine accuracy of the original result
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18
Q

Explain the linkage triangle

A

All of the components ( scene, suspect, and victim) are linked together thorough evidence

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19
Q

What is an example of a striation mark?

A

Markings on the side of a bullet

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20
Q

What is an example of an indentation?

A

Tire marks in mud

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21
Q

If a comparison shows that a questioned specimen does not originate from a known source, the result would be termed:

A

An exclusion

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22
Q

What is the first step in processing physical evidence?

A

Recognition

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23
Q

Establishing the exact whereabouts of an item if evidence and under whose control it was from the time of its collection to its admissibility in court, is known as maintaining:

A

Chain of custody

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24
Q

Documentation of evidence includes:

A
  • recording the location of evidence at the scene
  • labeling the packaging used to collect the evidence
  • recording the name of the person who collected the evidence
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25
Q

What container is the most appropriate for packaging a bloody shirt from a murder scene?

A

A paper bag, folded closed and taped sealed

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26
Q

What is some criteria that would be use by the court of law to qualify a forensic scientist as an expert in his/her field?

A

Training, education, experience

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27
Q

Probable cause is defined as

A

Sufficient evidence to believe that crime has been committed

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28
Q

In the case of William daubert v merrel Dow pharamaceutical, the U.S. Supreme Court issued guidelines for the admissibility of scientific evidence and advocated the role of gatekeeper to which individual?

A

The trial’s judge

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29
Q

True or false: a dusty footprint on a concrete floor is an example of an indentation

A

False

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30
Q

True or false: hair and dandruff falling for a perpetrator to a crime scene surface by the force of gravity is an example of locards principle in action

A

False

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31
Q

A connection, relationship, or association between objects and/or persons is termed as linkage.

A

True

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32
Q

The courts of law may qualify an individual as an eyewitness if he or she has demonstrated skill, knowledge, or experience beyond that of a lay person

A

False

33
Q

The NIBIN computer database can determine the two cartridge cases were fired from the same weapon

A

True

34
Q

What does the locard exchange principle state and describe a crime scene situation that illustrates this principle

A
  • when two objects come into contact, both objects will leave something on the other
  • if a man sexually assaults a woman, his DNA from semen can be left on her clothes, and a strain of her hair could attach to his jacket
35
Q

Distinguish between an imprint and an indentation mark.

A

Both leave an identifying marker such as a finger print or shoe print
Imprint: 2D; in blood in a hard surface
Indentation: 3D; soft, receiving area such as mud or sand

36
Q

What type of packaging should be used for biological evidence, what type of packaging should be avoided, and why is this type of packaging an important consideration?

A

Should be used: paper
Should not be avoided: plastic
Why: biological things tend to grow mold and become useless; paper packaging is porous.and allows the evidence to breathe

37
Q

What is the difference between a questioned specimen and a known specimen?

A

Questioned: found at a crime scene and the origin is unknown
Known: analysis will show what the origin of a specimen is

38
Q

List three investigative computer databases and briefly describe what type of evidence each contains

A

AFIS: Fingerprints
CODIS: DNA
NIBIN: ballistics

39
Q

What is not an example of evidence that could potentially yield a secondary physical match?

A

A broken automobile glass headlamp

40
Q

There are two types of physical matches:

A

primary and secondary

41
Q

A document which an illegal copy of something, made for the purpose of deception, is known as a:

A

forgery

42
Q

What is an example of a writing surface?

A

paper

43
Q

If the K and Q patterns do not match, what conclusion should be reported in the forensic lab report?

A

Exclusion

44
Q

A physical match between pieces of a broken plate would be an example of a:

A

direct physical match

45
Q

The type of marking made on a soft surface by the movement of a hard object across that surface is known as:

A

a striation

46
Q

A chemical technique used to improve contrast of pattern evidence would be:

A

blue star

47
Q

If the K and Q patterns match, what conclusion should be reported in the forensic lab report?

A

Inclusion

48
Q

The normal variation within an individual’s handwriting should be more than the variation between handwriting from two different individuals.

A

False

49
Q

When a suspect is providing a requested writing sample, his grammar and spelling should always be correct.

A

False

50
Q

Questioned document examiners prefer to work with a photocopy of question documents in order to perform an examination.

A

False

51
Q

A jigsaw fit match is equivalent to a secondary physical match

A

False

52
Q

The Jump man logo on a pair of Nike shoes is considered a class characteristic.

A

True

53
Q

Tires and footwear are items which are mass produced and have class and individual characteristics. Define “class characteristics” and individual characteristics”. Give one example each of a class characteristic and an individual characteristic for tires/footwear.

A

Class characteristics: something an entire group of one item has in common
Tire: tread of a certain brand
Shoe: marks of a sneaker v marks of a boot

Individual characteristics: something that stands out from class characteristics and is more distinctive 
Tire: wear down from use/specific year abnormality 
Shoe: pebbles cause different traction
54
Q

List and give examples of the different techniques that can be used to improve the contrast between pattern evidence and background surfaces

A

Photo techniques: filters, UV lighting
Imagery: photoshop, image pro
Chemical techniques: luminol

55
Q

Explain why the Scientific method is important for both forensic science and crime scene investigation

A

Knowledge Foundation

Forms basis for event reconstruction

Forms basis for investigations

56
Q

What does ASCLD/LAB stand for?

A

American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board

57
Q

Describe the significance of the Daubert court decision on the admissibility of scientific evidence. Specifically, who is the gatekeeper of scientific evidence during a trial List the criteria for determining the admissibility of scientific evidence

A

Gatekeeper: the judge of the trial

Criteria:

  • subject to significant testing
  • generally accepted (Frye criterion)
  • Subjected to error rate analysis
  • Peer reviewed
58
Q

List the three types of photographs taken at a crime scene and briefly describe what each type depicts

A

Overall: scene at arrival

Midrange: show spatial relationship and locations of items of evidence

Close up: each item of evidence individually

59
Q

Which of the following factors influence the final appearance of a bloodstain that is formed when a blood droplet strikes a surface?

A

All of the above

60
Q

A blood droplet striking a non-absorbent smooth surface at an 80 degree angle of incidence would form a blood stain with the following shape:

A

nearly circular

61
Q

A blood droplet striking a non absorbent smooth surface at a 10 degree angle of incidence would form a bloodstain with the following shape:

A

a highly elongated ellipse

62
Q

Tangential fracture lines have the following characteristics:

A

encircle the point of impact

63
Q

Which of these can not be found in GSR

A

none of the above

64
Q

Skid mark patterns can provide the following helpful crime scene reconstruction information:

A

the location of the accident

the direction of movement of the vehicle

65
Q

GSR stands for

A

Gunshot Residue

66
Q

Gun shot residue patterns around a bullet hole are used to determine:

A

the muzzle to target distance

67
Q

The science which studies the flight of a firearms projectile through the air is called:

A

ballistics

68
Q

Which of the following patterns can be used for crime scene reconstruction?

A

All of the above

69
Q

T/F A wipe pattern is created when a bloody object that is in motion contacts another surface

A

False

70
Q

T/F The cone shaped pattern at the point of impact of a projectile with a glass window would be expected to be wider on the exit side

A

True

71
Q

T/F The length of the skid mark at an accident scene can be used to determine the speed of the vehicle at the time the operator applied the brakes

A

True

72
Q

T/F Clothing or objects scattered around a residential crime scene may provide indications of a struggle, or simply reflect the typical living conditions of the owner

A

True

73
Q

T/F Criminal Profiling creates a hypothetical picture of an offender in an unsolved case

A

True

74
Q

Distinguish between a wipe and a swipe bloodstain pattern.

A

Swipe: blood is transferred from a source and creates a pattern (like a hand with blood on it, in motion, on a wall)

Wipe: A blood pattern that started off as a preexisting blood pattern but something got dragged through it

75
Q

What helpful information can be gained by examining tire and skid mark patterns at an accident scene

A

number of vehicles

location of vehicles

direction of movement

length of skid marks can help accident reconstruction investigator determine the speed of the vehicle at the time the brakes were applied

76
Q

Explain how a firearms examiner would perform muzzle to target distance estimation using GSR patterns

A

A series of test firings are done using the same weapon and ammunition as the ones thought to have been used.

The test patterns are then compared to the scene patterns to make an estimate of shooting distance.

77
Q

What information is used by a criminal profiler in developing a hypothetical picture of an offender in an unsolved case?

A

Mordus operandi, knowledge of past, similar cases, psychology

78
Q

Describe and distinguish between low, medium, and high velocity impact blood splatter patterns. Provide a short example of a situation that would produce each type of pattern.

A

Low: caused by falling blood dripping naturally from gravity
Example: hit in the nose once

Medium: moderate force from an object acts upon pooled area of blood and causes the blood to scatter small drops in all directions
Example: hit in the nose again with a bat

High: extreme force acting upon a blood source
Example: gunshot

79
Q

What are the three components of gunshot residue?

A

burn and unburned particles

lead

primer residue

80
Q

What does SWGSTAIN stand for

A

Scientific Working group for blood stain pattern analysis

Intro to Forensic Science (12 decks)

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