Exam Flashcards

1
Q

Porous Processing Sequence

A

Visual examination
Indanedione
DFO
Ninhydrin
(Oil Red O if wetted)
Physical developer

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2
Q

Porous Surfaces

A

Absorbent, permeable to gases or liquids, water will be absorbed

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3
Q

Examples of porous surfaces

A

Paper, cardboard, unfinished woods

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4
Q

Non-Porous Surfaces

A

Non-absorbent, not permeable to liquid or gas, water will pour off

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5
Q

Examples of non-porous surfaces

A

Glass, plastic, metal

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6
Q

What kind of chemicals need to be used to examine porous surfaces?

A

Chemicals that react to amino acids or chemicals that are sensitive to lipids and oils from fingerprint residues

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7
Q

Amino Acid

A

Organic compounds that combine to form proteins

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8
Q

Urea

A

An organic compound essential for waste production by the body after metabolizing protein

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9
Q

Sodium Chloride

A

Natural occurring salt in the body

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10
Q

Lipids

A

Organic compounds not soluble in water but soluble in fat solvents such as alcohol. Energy reserves that are also important components of cell membranes.

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11
Q

Drying Fingerprints

A

Most of the print is water, which evaporates and leaves lipids, amino acids, sodium chloride, and urea

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12
Q

Amino Acids on Porous Surfaces

A

Bind to fibres, making them stable even when deepened

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13
Q

What kind of chemical treatments react to amino acids?

A

Most of them

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14
Q

What are the factors affecting how deep a latent print will penetrate a porous surface?

A

Environmental conditions such as moisture/humidity, and the porosity of the surface

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15
Q

How are aqueous fingerprint reagents applied?

A

Dipping, spraying, or brushing

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16
Q

What does the choice of reagent depend on?

A

Colour, has the substrate ever been wet, porosity of the substrate

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17
Q

What happens with latent prints on non-porous surfaces?

A

Latent print resides on the surface

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18
Q

Semi-Porous Surfaces

A

Allow certain liquids or gases through, usually by diffusion

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19
Q

Examples of semi-porous surfaces

A

Magazines, waxy-coated paper products, carbon paper, photographs, glossy wall paints, wallpapers, latex gloves, varnished woods

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20
Q

Destruction of exposed prints on non-porous surfaces

A

Easily destroyed by rubbing when places in plastic bags, so use paper. Fragile against the environmental conditions.

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21
Q

Benefits of Indanedione

A

Reacts with different amino acids than ninhydrin and develops more latent prints than ninhydrin or DFO alone. Fingermarks are both visible and fluorescent, and more fluorescent than using DFO.

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22
Q

Indanedione Signature

A

Light pink colour under ambient light

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23
Q

Disadvantage of Indanedione

A

May be possible to degrade/destroy DNA so must test for DNA prior to using

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24
Q

Zinc Salts in Indanedione

A

Enhances colour and luminescence, with the only drawback being a reduced shelf life

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25
Q

Application of Indanedione

A

Liquid is applied to substrate and allowed to dry. Heat press at 165°C for 10 seconds, or incubated at 100°C for 20 mins at 60-80% humidity.

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26
Q

DFO

A

Amino acid-sensitive reagent best viewed with ALS

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27
Q

Benefits of DFO

A

Highly fluorescent, develops twice as many prints as ninhydrin

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28
Q

DFO Signature

A

Pale purple colour

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29
Q

Application of DFO

A

Liquid is applied to substrate. Heat in incubator at 100°C for 20 mins.

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30
Q

Disadvantages of DFO

A

Must be completed in a dry environment

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31
Q

Ninhydrin

A

Water and alcohol soluble. Reacts with proteins and non-specific amino acids, proteins, and peptides

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32
Q

Ninhydrin Signature

A

Ruhemann’s purple colour

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33
Q

Application of Ninhydrin

A

Apply liquid to substrate. Moisture and heat in ninhydrin cabinet.

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34
Q

Disadvantages of Ninhydrin

A

Requires a carrier solution or polar solvent

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35
Q

Benefits of Ninhydrin

A

Works well on older latent prints

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36
Q

What if you have multiple items from the same scene that need to be examined the same way?

A

They can be treated as a group (can all go in the cabinet together), but must be examined individually

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37
Q

Sequential Processing

A

A process used to examine an item in a methodical and systematic approach

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38
Q

First 3 steps of sequential processing

A

Same in each examination. Visual examination in ambient light, then white light, then a forensic light source.

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39
Q

What’s wrong with terms like “decision” and “likelihood”?

A

Uncertainty

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40
Q

Identification according to CanFRWG

A

Identification is the opinion by the examiner, based on training, knowledge, and experience, that the friction ridge impression originated from the same source

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41
Q

“Uniqueness”

A

Misleading or confusing in court

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42
Q

What should you say instead of “sufficient uniqueness to individualize”?

A

“Friction ridge identification is established through the agreement of sufficient friction ridge formations in sequence”

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43
Q

Filters

A

Can be used to enhance an image or eliminate other areas of the image. Allows specific wavelengths to be recorded.

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44
Q

2 Common Filters

A

Barrier filter and bypass filter

45
Q

Barrier Filter

A

Suppress/block/absorb certain wavelengths and permit certain ones to help eliminate backgrounds. Blocks reflected light and transmits fluorescent light.

46
Q

Bypass Filter

A

Allows a limited range of wavelengths to be recorded and blocks all other colour. Used with UV to allow only the UV range of wavelength.

47
Q

Electromagnetic Radiation (ER) / Electromagnetic Spectrum

A

Energy moving in a wave-like motion. Includes x-rays, UV radiation, visible light, IR radiation, thermal radiation, radio waves, and microwaves.

48
Q

Red ER

A

700 nm, lower frequency, less energy

49
Q

Blue ER

A

400 nm, higher frequency, more energy

50
Q

3 Primary Characteristics of Light

A

Wavelength, frequency, speed

51
Q

How fast does ER travel in a vacuum?

A

Speed of light (299,792,458 m/s)

52
Q

Short Wavelength

A

High frequency, towards UV

53
Q

Long Wavelength

A

Low frequency, towards IR

54
Q

How are wavelengths measured?

A

Nanometres (nm)

55
Q

Visible Light Range

A

400-700 nm

56
Q

Near UV Range

A

300-400 nm

57
Q

Near IR Range

A

700-1100 nm

58
Q

What happens to ER when contacting a surface?

A

Reflected, absorbed, transmitted

59
Q

Types of Reflected Light

A

Specular or diffused

60
Q

Specular Reflected Light

A

Light strikes a smooth surface and reflects at the same angle and parallel

61
Q

Diffused Reflected Light

A

Light strikes a rough/textured surface and is scattered and not parallel

62
Q

Absorbed Light

A

Converts to heat or luminescence

63
Q

Luminescence

A

Molecules or atoms are in an excited higher energy state

64
Q

2 Types of Luminescence

A

Fluorescence and phosphorescence

65
Q

Transmitted Light

A

When light passes through an object without getting reflected or absorbed

66
Q

What happens to light that is incident on a glass surface?

A

It will be reflects at an angle equal to the angle of incidence and transmitted according to Snell’s Law. ~4% is reflected determined by the refractive index of glass. May cause light to change speed and direction.

67
Q

Refractive Index

A

Degree to which light bends. Frequency does not change but wavelength does.

68
Q

What is the basis of light filtration?

A

Refractive index

69
Q

Stokes Shift

A

Fluorescing light has a longer wavelength than incident radiation

70
Q

How long does fluorescence emission last?

A

About 1 second after emitting radiation is discontinued

71
Q

How long does phosphorescence emission last?

A

Several seconds after emitting radiation is discontinued

72
Q

Incandescence

A

When light is emitted from an object that has been heated. Glows when it’s hot.

73
Q

Chemiluminescence

A

Chemical reaction to cause heat and make it glow

74
Q

Fluorescence

A

Emission of light caused by the absorption of radiant energy from an external source. Emission of light continues on if the stimulus continues.

75
Q

Phosphorescence

A

Emission of light caused by the absorption of radiant energy from an external source or stimulus. Emission of light continues after the stimulus has stopped.

76
Q

Barrier Filter Use

A

Used to block reflected light and transmit the fluorescent light. Coloured to a specific wavelength.

77
Q

What does LASER stand for?

A

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

78
Q

LASER as a Fluorescent Light Source

A

Device that produces a coherent wavelength of light. Forensics uses coherent lasers.

79
Q

LASER Wavelength

A

Works on a single wavelength between 525-550 nm, usually monochromatic 532 nm for fingerprint development in forensic labs

80
Q

What does LED stand for?

A

Light-Emitting Diode

81
Q

Use of LED-Based Light Sources

A

Intense light source, limited wavelengths for forensic use, fixed/non-tuneable wavelength, laser and ALS complement each other

82
Q

How are ninhydrin prints enhanced?

A

With metal salt treatments. Silver nitrate turns prints orange. Cadmium nitrate turns prints red.

83
Q

Analog

A

Chemical compound structurally similar to another but differs slightly in composition. Like the original with a light difference in atomically structure.

84
Q

Ninhydrin Analogues

A

MN and MTN. Both are amino acid-specific reagents that are structurally like ninhydrin but with improved capabilities. Both luminesce and are visible without a light source. Cheaper to produce but not as accepted.

85
Q

Physical Developer (PD)

A

Used when porous substrates have been wetted. Reacts to water-soluble sebaceous components of latent print residue.

86
Q

PD Signature

A

Dark grey to black due to the silver metal along the latent print ridges

87
Q

Benefits of PD

A

Can develop very old fingerprints. Can be used on wet/wetted items. Improves quality of fingermarks after DFO and ninhydrin.

88
Q

Disadvantages of PD

A

Long and time consuming, acidity weakens paper, silver may deposit in marks/creases/indentations/scratches, short shelf life, permanently stains any surface

89
Q

Oil Red O (ORO)

A

Lipophilic stain for developing prints on porous surfaces that have been wet. Better development than PD on some types of paper.

90
Q

ORO Application

A

3 step process involving coloration, neutralization, and drying

91
Q

ORO Signature

A

Red ridges against a pink background

92
Q

Nile Red (NR)

A

Lipophilic stain seen with 555 nm barrier filter. Excellent results on heavily sebaceous fingermarks.

93
Q

Disadvantages of NR

A

Expensive and dangerous. Nile blue is cheaper and safer.

94
Q

Small Particle Reagent (SPR)

A

To treat nonporous surfaces exposed to or immersed in water (even over 30 days). Fine particles of powder mixed with a surfactant. Reacts with fatty residue of latent prints.

95
Q

Surfactant of SPR Compositions

A

A weak detergent solution/surface agent. Key ingredient. Keeps fine particles suspended and evenly spreads the powder over a wet surface. Concentration can affect the quality of prints (higher concentration=weaker prints).

96
Q

Which SPRs are used on which surfaces?

A

Black charcoal powder or molybdenum disulphide for grey prints on light surfaces. Titanium dioxide or zinc carbonate for white prints on dark surfaces.

97
Q

Fingermark detection on fabric substrates

A

Ridge detail only possible with very fine weave patterns. Always test with similar fabrics first.

98
Q

100% Cotton

A

Behaves as a porous surface. Amino acid reagents, indanedione, ninhydrin, and gel lifters.

99
Q

Synthetic fabrics (like polyester and nylon)

A

Treat like non-porous. CA fuming followed by dye stain.

100
Q

Adhesive Substrates

A

Process non-porous (CA), then adhesive side powder suspension, then CA dye stain.

101
Q

Metallic Substrates

A

CA fuming with Rhodamine G6.

102
Q

Fingerprints on Guns and Ammunition

A

Low success rate. Can only be developed on exterior, magazine, and cartridge/cartridge case. Perspiration is acidic and may cause latent prints to be visibly etched into the cartridge surface without development. CA fuming and then dye staining.

103
Q

What affects recovery of fingerprints on guns and ammunition?

A

Heat from firing, ejection friction, falling on ground, fingerprint resistant coating on guns, textured surfaces for grip.

104
Q

Amido Black

A

Stains the protein in blood fingerprints a bluish-black colour. Methanol based formula for nonporous. Ethanol formula for porous and non porous but lighter prints but cheaper and safer.

105
Q

Acid Violet 17

A

Protein dye stain for porous items. Sprayed or dipped, stained, and then rinsed with water. Similar to amino black.

106
Q

Disadvantages of Amido Black and Acid Violet 17

A

Purple and black/blue colours not easily seen on dark background

107
Q

Acid Yellow 7

A

Used for bloody fingerprints and footprints on nonporous substrates. Fluoresces yellow-green under blue-green light. More effective on faint impressions but can be used on dark or patterned substrates.

108
Q

Thick Powder Suspensions

A

“Sticky-side powder”. Black powder in a detergent solution. Must be brushed on (bc she thiccc), left for a short time, and then rinsed with water.

109
Q

Benefits of Thick Powder Suspensions

A

Very effective on adhesive surfaces. Can be reapplied if weak prints are developed. White powder suspension will show prints on both sides of dark coloured tape.