crime scene Flashcards
types of information that can be obtained from forensics testing and examination of physical evidence
linkage of persons, scenes, or objects; investigative leads; information on the corpus delicti; information on the modus operandi; proving or disproving witness statements; identification of the suspect(s); identification of unknown substances; reconstruction of a crime
corpus delicti
a crime must be proved to have occurred before a person can be convicted
modus operandi
someone’s habits of working; mode of operation
crime scene management
- information management
- manpower management
- technology management
- logistics management
crime scene security measures
when first responders protect the crime scene
primary crime scene
site of the original criminal activity
secondary crime scene
subsequent crime scenes
macroscopic crime scene
the broad crime scene
microscopic crime scene
the smaller crime scenes in the broad crime scene
walk-through
preliminary scene survey
crime scene map
use of imaging technology and mapping technology to create a virtual layout
the W’s
who, what, when, where, and why
videography
video recording of the crime scene
crime scene sketch
documenting the crime scene in sketches
geometric patterns
- link
2 line or strip - grid
- zone
- wheel or ray
- spiral method
types of sketches
rough and finished sketch
techniques used to obtain measurements for the crime scene sketch
triangulation; baseline; and polar coordinates
crime scene reconstruction
process of determining or eliminating the events that could have occurred at the crime scene
process in reconstructing a crime scene
- data collection
- conjecture
- hypothesis formulation
- testing
- theory formulation
major tasks of documentation
- note taking
- videography
- photography
- sketching
coroner
government agent charged with responsibility for death investigations
medical examiners
a medically qualified public officer whose duty is to investigate deaths occurring under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform postmortems, and to initiate inquests
forensic pathologist
physicians specializing in the diagnose of diseas
cause of death
disease or injury that initiated the lethal chain of events that led to death
mechanism of death
biochemical or physiological abnormality produced by the cause of death that is incompatible with life
manner of death
defined as the fashion in which the cause of death came to be
NASH
four manners of death; natural, accidental, homicidal, suicidal
rigor mortis
stiffening in muscles following death
livor mortis
discoloration of the body that occurs from the settling of of red blood cells
algor mortis
calling of the body that occurs after death, assuming the ambient body temperature is lower than body temperature
sudden death
death that occurs within a few hours of the onset of symptoms or death without any symptoms
incised wounds
caused by a clean, sharp-edged object such as a knife, razor, or glass splinter
autopsy
to look at oneself
necropsy
looking at the dead
inframammary incision
made in the fold where the lower part of the breast meets the chest wall
types of mechanical trauma
sharp force and blunt force trauma
sharp force
caused by sharp implements
blunt force
caused by firearms
lead snowstorm
white fragments of lead around the missing tissue
penetrating gunshot wound
an entrance wound and no exit wound
perforating gunshot wound
an entrance and exit wound
distance determination
distance from the shooter to the victim
contact/near-contact wounds
result of close range gunfight, suicide, or execution
carboxymyoglobin
a compound formed from myoglobin on exposure to carbon monoxide
stippling
creation of a pattern simulating varying degrees of solidity or shading by using small dots
distant
any distance beyond that which produces stippling
laceration
caused by gunshot exit wounds
abraded
scraped skin
hollow-point bullets
handgun bullets that are designed to enlarge their diameter during a passage through tissue are common
asphyxia
interruption of oxygenation of the brain
carbon monoxide
a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly less dense than air; toxic to hemoglobic animals
contusion
an accumulation of blood in the tissues outside the blood vessels
cyanide
consists of carbon and nitrogen; acts primarily on the enzymes of the mitochondria of the brain
diatoms
small unicellular organisms found in most fresh and salt waters
equivocal death
inquiries that are open to interpretation
hyperthermia
body temperature that is higher than normal
hypothermia
body temperature that is lower than normal
questionable death
a death that was not witnessed
hyoid bone
small horseshoe-shaped bone found in the neck near the base of the jaw
hematoma
a blood tumor
naïve consumers
a person who does not ingest large amounts of drugs or alcohol
ligature
an object such as a blue, rope, or cord that is wrapped around the throat to cause asphyxia
manual strangulation
use of hands to strangulate
oxyhemoglobin
the form of hemoglobin that is bound with oxygen
