Chapter 4: Physical Evidence Flashcards
CHaracteristics of physical evidence that are common to a group of objects or persons are termed:
Class Characteristics
*Soil, glass
Evidence with _______ can be identified, with a high degree of probability, as originating with a particular person or source.
Individual Characteristics
Three types of unknown or questioned samples:
- Recovered crime scene sample who is the source is in question.
- Questioned evidence that may be transferred to an offender during the commission of a crime and has been taken away by him or her.
- Evidence from an unknown or questioned source that can be used to link multiple offenses.
The three types of known samples are:
- Standard or reference sample.
- Control or blank samples.
- Elimination sample.
An _______ is taken from a source know to have had lawful access to the crime scene such as a police officer, medical technician, or occupants.
Elimination Samples
There is growing evidence that within soil, there are _______ that essentially create their own distinctive DNA signatures.
Microbial Communities
Soil consists of loose aggregates of accumulations of natural elements, such as:
- Rocks
- Bacteria
- Minerals
- Pollen
- Fungus
- Plant Material
_______ is the discipline that studies pollen and spores.
Forensic Palynology
Despite the fact Forensic Palynology can be a powerful investigative tool, it is extremely _______ because it is labor-intensive and requires considerable expertise and experience.
Underutilized
Collect soil samples at a depth consistent with the depth at which the questioned soil may have originated. In most cases, samples will be a _______ of material taking no more than _______ from the surface.
a. Tablespoon
b. 1/2 inch
Do not remove soil adhering to shoes, clothing, and tools. Do not process tools for latent prints at this time. _______the soil garments.
Air Dry
Soil garments should be packaged separately in _______.
Paper Bags
_______ are often present at crime scenes and overlooked by investigators.
Shoe and Tire Impressions
The two major categories of impression evidence are:
- Surface Impressions
2. Three-Dimensional Impressions
_______ impressions are two dimensional. They have a length and width and by definition, lack any appreciable height. They are often called “prints” or “residual prints”.
Surface Impression
_______ should be used to lift dry dust or dry residue surface impressions from clean porous or non-porous surfaces.
Electrostatic Dust Print Lifter
_______ work well for lifting surface impressions are non-porous surfaces that have been enhanced with fingerprint powder.
Adhesive and Tape Lifters
On porous or non-porous wet or dry surfaces, black white, or transparent _______ are good performers.
Gelatin Lifters
_______ is used for casting powdered surface impressions, particularly on textured or uneven surfaces.
Mikrosil Forensic Silicone
_______ are positioned directly over the surface impressions and captures detailed digital images for comparison use.
Electronic Shoe Print Scanner
_______ that have a significant depth, in addition to having a length and width.
Three Dimensional Impressions (3DI)
_______ is an effective method of collecting three (3DI), and they should always be photographed prior.
Casting
A _______ may be used to “fix” the details, taking care not to destroy them as it is applied.
Silicone Release Agent or Hairspray
When preparing Dental Stone, mix _______ pounds of dental stone and _______ ounces of water before massaging it is a gallon freezer bag for _______ minutes.
a. 2
b. 10-12
c. 3-5
Pour Dental Stone mixture _______ the impression and allow it to flow or spill over the impression as opposed to pouring it directly on the impression.
Alongside
On a warm day dental stone will dry in _______ minutes and longer when it is cold.
20-30
When the cast is firm but still soft, identifying marks can be scratched into the back. A good practice is to also indicate on the cast the _______.
Direction of North.
If an impression is frozen, use a _______.
Colored Spray Paint
When working with impressions, if the snow is soft or slushy, use a _______ to keep the snow from collapsing when you add the dental stone.
Snow Print Wax
_______ has long been used o cast impressions in snow.
Sulfur
Paint evidence is transferred as _______, _______, or “_______” from old, dry paint.
a. Fresh Smears
b. Dried Chips
c. Chalking
Most commonly paint transfers from one source to another in:
- Burglaries
2. Hit & Run Accidents
Standard paint evidence samples should be the size of a _______.
Nickle
One rule of thumb while collecting paint samples, is to collect _______ such samples around each area involved, which should be packaged individually.
Four
A _______ occurs when it is established that two physical items were once co-joined.
Fractured Match
Do not collect paint chips or particles with _______ or use it to fix the evidence to a card.
Transparent Tape
Placing paint chips in _______ is not good practice, because separating them is difficult and they are often fragile.
Cotton
_______ are acceptable for storing paint chip samples if they are properly sealed and protected from being bent or compressed.
Paper Envelopes
Paint chips and particles should not be placed in _______, because they will develop a static electrical charge that makes them hard to handle.
Plastic Bags
A _______ is ideal for packaging a paint chip, because it can be seen.
Clear Solid Container
Generally, glass is _______ evidence; Glass is important as physical evidence because it is so common.
Class Characteristic
Laboratory examination of glass evidence may be able to determine:
- Type of glass.
- Direction of force used to break.
- Direction & sequence of shots fired.
- SImilarities between evidence class & standard.
- A fracture match, establishing that the pieces were formally joined.
_______ move away from the point of impact.
Radical Fractures
_______ more or less circle the same point.
Concentric Fracture Lines
The cone in glass will be _______ the side of the bullet strike to the glass.
Opposite
Glass evidence from combing hair should be done over _______.
Clean Paper
Clothing and _______ should be packaged separately.
Shoes
Wet clothing should be _______.
Air Dried
If embedded in skins open wounds, have _______ remove them.
Medical Professionals
Submit weapons and tools without disturbing _______ evidence.
Glass
Samples of _______ should be labeled “inside” and “out”.
Laminated Glass
When a vehicle is involved, use a _______ to collect the glass from each area of the vehicle.
Vacuum
Known and questioned glass samples, and evidence from victims and suspects should be _______ to avoid contamination.
Shipped Separately
Glass evidence should be wrapped in _______ and sealed in a _______.
a. Clean Paper
b. Rigid Container
*Do not use glass containers.
Fibers are of greater value as evidence because they incorporate such variables as:
- Material Type
- # of Fibers per Strand
- # of Strands
- Thickness of Fibers and Strand
- Amount and Direction of Twists
- Dye Content
- Type of Weave
- Possible Presence of Foreign Matter
Both fibers and fragments should be packaged in a _______ or a folded paper that is taped shut.
Pillbox
In hit & run offenses, _______ fragments may be found in the grille or undercarriage of the striking vehicle.
Cloth
String, cord, route, and tape evidence is usually found in _______, _______, _______, and _______ cases.
a. Robbery
b. Murder
c. Rape
d. Kidnapping
When rope evidence is removed from a victim or from any place, _______ should never be severed.
Knots
A 2010 study of 562 subjects revealed differences in patterns or knot tying between _______ handed people.
Right and Left
Several different body parts, such as _______, _______, _______ and _______ have friction ridges that can form a “fingerprint”.
a. Palms
b. Fingers
c. Toes
d. Soles of the Feet
A fingerprint is a replica of the friction ridges that touched the surface on which the print was found. These ridge characteristics are also called _______.
Minutia
_______ are the raised portions of the finger skin, on top from which minuscule sweat pours exist.
Ridges
_______ are the low area between the ridges, sort of miniature valleys.
Furrows
The three major groups of fingerprints are:
- Plastic Prints
- Latent Prints
- Patent Prints
_______ prints are finger impressions left in pliable, soft surfaces, such as wax, soap, wet paint, or fresh caulk, putty, and explosives.
Plastic
_______ prints are created when small amounts of body perspiration and oil are normally found on the ridges that are deposited on the surfaces that are touched.
Latent
Latent prints is an _______ term with two different meanings.
Elastic
The elastic term refers to two meanings in regard to latent prints, which are:
- Fingerprints found at a scene.
2. FIngerprints invisible to the naked eye.
_______ prints may immediately be wholly visible, or they may be latent.
Patent
The quality of latent fingerprints is affected by a number of conditions, including:
- Surfaces
- Physical or employment produced infirmities
- Source of the contamination for visible.residue prints
- Too much contamination fills up furrows, making a print unuseable
- How an article was handled
The sequence should be to attempt to recover _______ prior to developing latent prints.
DNA
The process of locating latent fingerprints begins with _______.
Wearing latex, nitrile, or other suitable gloves.
Shining a flashlight at an _______ angle to the surface being examined is often helpful in locating prints.
Oblique
On occasion, _______ leave impressions as individualized as fingerprints.
Gloves
Particular attention should be made to less obvious places for fingerprints, such as:
- Underside of toilet seats.
- Toilet handles
- Tabletops
- Dresser drawers
- The surfaces of dinner plates and filing cabinets
- The backs of rearview mirrors
- The trunk lids of automobiles
A person who is _______ may aid in obtaining latent prints when determining if objects were moved or out of place.
Familiar with the Environment
The _______ method is used before any attempts to develop a latent fingerprint. It maximizes the possibility of recovering useful biological evidence.
Double Swabbing
When bodies are discovered, the suspects may have positioned them in postmortem poses or there may be evidence that the bodies were dragged from one room to another. Such key places to look for latent fingerprints are:
- Under the arms
- Ankles
- Neck
- Face
_______ is commonly used to develop latent fingerprints on dead bodies.
Superglue Fuming
Although some have suggested super gluing the entire body to locate latent fingerprints, the consensus is to use an _______ to identify specific sites.
Alternate Light Source
Heat lamps or any other source of artificial heat should not be used to dry the object quickly. Such objects should be allowed to _______.
Air-Dry Naturally
Articles that have been _______ and need to be processed for prints must be allowed to thaw and dry naturally.
Frozen
Most latent prints are lifted with a _______.
Clear strip of tape
Once a print is found, it should be _______ immediately with a rigid scale in view.
Photographed
