Forensic Science Flashcards
What does CSU stand for?
Crime Scene Unit
What does the CSU do?
Collect and analyse evidence
What type of crimes does the CSU deal with?
Serious crimes such as homicide, arson, terrorist attacks and sexual assault.
What ways can the CSU search areas?
Grid, spiral, stripe.
Why does the CSU search areas in different ways?
To make sure no evidence is missed.
What happens after the CSU searches an area?
The crime scene is cleared and sent away to be analysed by specialist scientists.
What type of scientists analyse evidence?
Pathology, toxicology, ballistics, fingerprints, fibers, chemistry and dentistry.
What’s pathology?
The study of disease and cause of death.
What’s toxicology?
The study of effects of poisons and chemicals on the body.
What’s ballistics?
The study of guns and bullets.
How can evidence be classified at a crime scene?
It can be classified broadly as either physical evidence or trace evidence.
What’s physical evidence?
Anything that is reasonably large and easy to see.
List examples of physical evidence:
Dead bodies, bullets, bullet-holes, weapons, tool marks, tracks, tracks, damaged, furniture, fingerprints, blood splatters.
How can investigators identify a corpse?
If there’s ID, Driver’s licence, credit cards, medicare card found near it.
What evidence do investigators have about how long someone has been dead?
A series of changes begins in a corpse immediately after death.
What type of changes can happen to a dead body?
Their body temperature changes, extent of vigor mortis, skin colour, extent of decomposition, type and life cycle of insects surrounding.
What’s the temperature of a healthy living person?
37 degrees.
How does the body temperature change after death?
The body temp drops 0.8 degrees per hour until the body reaches room temperature.
How long will it take a dead body to reach room temperature?
About a day. This depends on the body’s surrounding temperature and their clothing.
What is vigor mortis?
The stiffening of muscles.
What colour does skin become after death?
Skin become greenish within two days of death.
Why does skin change colour after death?
Bacteria begins to decompose the body.
What’s a track impression?
Footprints and impressions from shoes and tyres that are often left behind at a crime scene.
What’s a positive impression?
An image exactly the same as the pattern on the shoe or tyre.
What’s a negative impression?
Materials that only gathers in gaps in the tread of shoes or tyres.
What do investigators do with impressions?
They are photographed next to a ruler to indicate their actual size.
Why do negative impressions have wet plaster poured into them?
To form a mould that can be taken back to the laboratory for analysis.