Chapter 1: Introduction Flashcards
What is forensic science in the broadest definiton?
the application of science to criminal and civil laws
Who is the father of forensic toxicology?
Mathieu Orfila
Alphonse Bertillion did what?
Devised the first scientific system of personal identification in 1879.
What were the 5 primary measurements the Bertillon’s system was based on?
- Head length;
- Head breadth width);
- Length of the middle finger;
- The length of the left foot;
- The length of the “cubit” (the forearm from the elbow to the extremity of the middle finger).
Who conducted the first definitive study of fingerprints and their classification?
Francis Galton
Who developed a procedure to determine blood type from dried bloodstains?
Leone Lattes
What did Calvin Goddard do?
Used a comparison microscope to determine if a particular gun fired a bullet.
What did Edmond Locard do?
Incorporated Gross’ principles within a workable crime laboratory.
Locard’s Exchange Principle
States that when a criminal comes in contact with an object or person, a cross transfer of evidence occurs.
What is the Locard’s Exchange Principle?
States that when a criminal comes in contact with an object or person, a cross transfer of evidence occurs.
What are the five basic services that the technical support provided by crime laboratories can be assigned?
- Physical Science Unit
- Biology Unit
- Firearms Unit
- Document Unit
- Photographic Unit
What are the 5 optional services by full-service labs?
- Toxicology unit
- Latent fingerprint unit
- Polygraph unit
- Voiceprint analysis unit
- Evidence collection unit
What is the scientific method used for?
To analyze physical evidence
What are the 4 steps of the scientific method?
- Formulate a question worthy of investigation.
- Formulate a reasonable hypothesis to answer the question.
- Test the hypothesis through experimentation.
- Upon validation of the hypothesis, it become suitable as scientific evidence.
What is the “Frye” Standard?
To meet the Frye standard, the evidence in question must be “generally accepted” by the scientific community.
What decision set guidelines for determining the admissibility of scientific evidence into the courtroom.
The Frye v. United States decision (Frye Standard)
