Forensics ch 2 and 3

Question 1

defn. Crime scene

Answer 1

any place where evidence may be located to help explain events

Question 2

defn. Modus operandi

Answer 2

the characteristic method of operation of a criminal
-sometimes referred to as MO

Question 3

Top 3 reasons for commiting a crime

Answer 3

1. money
2. revenge
3. emotion - love, hate, anger, etc.

Question 4

crime scene team members - do not have to be composed of all these

Answer 4

1.1st responders - police, fire, medics if needed
2. investigators
3. medical examiner or coroner
4. CSI - if an option
5. lab experts

Question 5

Medical examiner

Answer 5

• a medical doctor, usually a pathologist, appointed by a governing body of the area.
• around 500 forensic pathologists in the US

Question 6

responsibilities of medical examiner and coroner

Answer 6

-identify the deceased
-establish the time and date of death
-determine a medical cause of death (the injury or disease that resulted in the person dying)
-determine the mechanism of death (the physiological reason that the person died)
-classify the manner of death (natural, accidental, suicide, homicide, undetermined)
-notify the next of kin

Question 7

Steps in handling a crime scene

Answer 7

1.preserving and isolating the crime scene
2.observe and document the crime scene
3. search the scene for evidence
4. collect and package the evidence
5. maintain the chain of custody

Question 8

JonBenet Ramsey case

Answer 8

example of how not to work a crime scene
-6 year old pageant girl
-2.5 page ransom note
-demanded $118,000 ransom (which is the same amount as John Ramsey’s bonus from the company that year)
-police did not close the home for a thorough search, did not search the basement (where she would be found)
-no signs of forced entry
-John Ramsey found his daughter in the basement and carried her upstairs to the living room and covered her with a blanket
-died from asphyxiation and a skull fracture
-pineapple in her stomach and her brothers fingerprints were on the pineapple bowl but her parents don’t remember her eating pineapple

Question 9

coroner

Answer 9

elected officials, usually have no special training. In 4 states the coroner is a medical doctor. they cannot perform an autopsy if not a forensic pathologist