Forensics Final Flashcards

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1
Q

Document

A

: Is something that contains marks,symbols,or signs that convey a meaning or a message to someone

Ex: Graffiti, Mona Lisa Painting(artwork in general), Classnotes

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2
Q

Questioned document examiners

A

-identify handwriting, handprinting, signatures, forgeries, identify papers, inks, and writing implements, determined when a document was produced. They identify the individual who prepared the writing or signature on a questioned document

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3
Q

Question Document:

A

Is a document who authenticity or age, or authorship is called into question

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4
Q

Common and Uncommon Documents

A

Common type: involve handwriting/white collar crimes)

forgery is the most common (prescription fraud)

Uncommon: Graphology(Twilight zone) determine personality from handwritten; not recognized as science

=

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5
Q

Surfaces and Medium:

A

Same type of writing surface and medium;(suspect writes sharpie on wall, have them use sharpie to write on a wall)

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6
Q

Uniqueness

A
  • Learned through copybook technique
  • 30 handwriting systems taught in the U.S
  • Writing Systems: Zaner Bloser or Palmer are most common(copybook system)
  • We were not given latitude

Uniqueness of Handwriting: (1) There must be an adequate # of known examples of an individuals writing so that the entire range of variation in the writing is captured. (2) the samples must contain enough individual characteristics to permit identification.

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7
Q
A

Exmpahsis no longer on letter form but legibility

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8
Q

Evolution Maturity

A
  • 7 year cycle change to writing
  • Signature is the most stable item
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9
Q

Factors that Change Handwriiting

A
  • Disease
  • Alcohol
  • Drugs
  • Surface area,medium
  • control of pen
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10
Q

Laws of Handwriting ID

A

Every handwriting is unique(no two signatures are the same
- Variation always exist in an individuals handwriting

Good handwriting

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11
Q

Standard Exemplars:

A

capture range of variation
- Good,average,and bad writing
- Car notes,class notes,lease,grocery list,passport,checks

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12
Q

Dictated Exemplar:

A

Told what to write

  • To tire you out, tired of faking it; less likely to maintain disguise
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13
Q

Calcification:

A

teeth developing within gums(reliable determine age)

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14
Q

Eruption:

A

teeth cut through gums(not reliable)

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15
Q

Probe:

A

identify where soil been disturbed

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16
Q

Friction ridges:

A

on fingertips and palms, soles,and toes

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17
Q
  • Epidermis
A

top layer and sheds

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18
Q

Dermis: blood

A

vessels,sweat glands,nerves,(none of this is in epidermis)(ex paper cut is dermis being penetrated)

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19
Q

Dermal papillae:

A

undulating surface on top of dermis under epidermis that lock. together; (creating friction ridges on fingers: for grip) unique to everyone Palms and soles of feet

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20
Q

Questioned:

A

Don’t know whose it is(usally compared to those in a system already

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21
Q

Known fingerprints:

A

Known fingerprints: recognizable finger prints

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22
Q

Types of Firearms

A

Handguns
- Pistols (AKA Semi-automatics)
- Revolver

Long Arms
- Rifles
- Shotguns

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23
Q

Gunshot Residue(GSR)

A

Projectile
Flame
Soot
Burned Gunpowder
Unburned Gunpowder
Gas
Priming compounds

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24
Q

Bullets on Bone

A

Beveling

*exists are larger than entrances; doe snot have exterior beveling

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25
Q

Distance Determination

A

Contact
Near Contact
Close
Distance

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26
Q

Contact

A
  • Grease wipe
  • Abrasion Collar
  • Stellate tear
  • Cherry red wound tract
  • Gunpowder and soot inside wound
  • Muzzle impression
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27
Q

Near contact -

A

skin to 6 inches away.

-Singing and burning of skin, clothing and hair
-Tattooing/stippling
-Soot in a circumscribed area
- Abrasion collar
-Grease wipe.

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28
Q

Close range

A

*shots between 6 - 24 inches.

  • Stippling/tattooing
  • Soot (at closer distances)
    Abrasion collar
    Grease wipe.
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29
Q

Far Distant

A

24 inches or more.*
- Abrasion collar
- Grease wipe
- No soot or stippling
- No cherry red wound tract
- No burning or singeing
- No soot or stippling

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30
Q

-grease wipes-

A

(dirt on projectile)(all 4
n

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31
Q
  • cherry red wound :
A
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31
Q
  • Abrasion collar
A

friction burn around gunshot injuries)(all 4)

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32
Q

Gunpowder and soot:

A

gets propelled inside wound tract

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33
Q
  • Tattooing/stippling:
A

around gunshot wound tract

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34
Q

Identifying Shotgun injuries

A

identify area w/ pellet spread
*can’t identify w/ slug

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35
Q

Shotgun injuries

A
  • Pellet injuries
  • Shot w/ slug cause major damage(especially self inflictedhead)
  • Shotguns are rarely fatal
  • Further away less lethal pellets; closer way more damage
  • Pellet hole=cookie cutter defect
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36
Q

Gunshot inuries to the bone

A
  • Bone, Glass, Lithics (conchoidal fracture)-
  • Radiating fractures:
  • Bullet hole and concentric fractures
  • Radiation fracture stops at preexisting fractures
  • Fractures terminationates at existing fractures
  • Can distinguish extrance from exist
  • Bullet on bone(Beveling)-exists are larger than entrances; does not have exterior beveling
  • Beveling/chattering- removal of bone fragments
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37
Q

(conchoidal fracture)

A

Bones,glass,lithics

they break in a predictable fashion

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38
Q

Radiating fractures:

A

start at point of impact and radiate out
-fractures terminate at other fractures

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39
Q

5 R Rule:

A

Ripples on radial cracks/ R at right angles to the rear

**Easier way: ripples on radial cracks / R at right angles the side opposite impact

  • Broken edge: you should see ripples/striations on radio cracks

**Ripples only touch one side of glass, not the other side; at right angles to the rear
- Glass is flexible

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40
Q

Trace Evidence:

A

anything that’s tiny(paint,dirt and glass)

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41
Q

Pharmacy fold:

A

contains little pieces of evidence (example eyelash,blood swap,wet condoms(paper will observe fluid

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42
Q

*Majority of glass should be on inside if breaking ito a house(t/f)

A

True

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43
Q

Glass valuabilty

A
  • Hair
  • Fibers
  • Fingerprints
  • Footwear
  • Method of fracture:
  • Sequence of events
  • Direction of fracture
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44
Q

Method of fracture:

A

velocity of weapon that hit targer(high velocity=less cracking than low velocity)(ex: less damage caused by gun than baseball bat)

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45
Q

Sequence of events:

A

radiating fractures terminate other radiating fracture

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46
Q

filaments

A

wires that determine if headlights were on or off

straight= off/cold

stretched out/wavy= hot and on

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47
Q

silencers(sound suppressor)

A
  • report wave
  • shock wave
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48
Q

Report Wave -

A

Gasses in contact with the atmosphere

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49
Q

Shock Wave

A

– Projectile travelling faster than the speed of sound

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50
Q

Serial number restoration

A

Ultrasound
Magnaflux
Electrochemical Etching

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51
Q

Handwriting

A

surfaces that were writing on, median were writing with are the same; implementing and surface

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52
Q
A
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53
Q

t/f firing pin impressions are casings

A

True; cartridges don’t have this

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54
Q

children have more bones than adults

A

true; (end of epiiphcies are not fused)

Last bone to fuse is called the MEDIAL aspect of the CLAVICAL

Age? At about age 22 or early 20s

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55
Q

Children determine age by generative changes

A

true

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56
Q

Adults determine age upon degenerative

A

true

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57
Q

Body wrap in fluid of decomp(blanket/sheet); increase vegational growth(provide nutrients for palnts

A

true

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58
Q

Body wrap in shower curtain; decrease vegetational growth

A

true

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59
Q

Yucca

A

historic African American cemeteries)

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60
Q

Probe:

A

identify where soil been disturbed and feel for resistance

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61
Q

Auger

A

produce plugs of soil, evaluate plugs for mottling

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62
Q

Thermography:

A

method of heat detection

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63
Q

Geochemical study/lipids:

A

look at soil for fats or proteins if a body had been at location and been move

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64
Q

Night vision:

A

enhances existing light(night vision requires heat source is false)

65
Q

Photograph UV:

A

enhance of injuries/tattoos, causes bones to flourecence

66
Q

Age of growth:

A

How long has a body been in an area?

67
Q

Coffin wood:

A

will cause degradation to the bone and cause coffin wear

68
Q

When grave is excavated and backfill, mixing if soils(mottling)

A

true

(not as compact more air rated)

69
Q

*Ground Penetrationg radar(GPR):

A

send and receiving attenae disruption is map shows up as blips

70
Q

Bone are pourus

A

true; : can absorb coffin wood

71
Q

Native American burials are often flex/bundled(fetal position) remains and or covered in occur
Under mounds or rock pile, scaffle burials

A

true

72
Q

Can determine age based upon calcification not eruption

A

true

73
Q

Excavate a grave:

A

according to the boundaries that were established by the perpetrator
We can do this bc we know disturbed soil will peel away from undisturbed soil

74
Q

Tree ring dating

A

on an archeological site

75
Q

Branch ring dating

A

on vegetation that is growing through other types of remains

76
Q

5 primary layers of soil

A

: silt (organic material), subsoil,
clay,
gravel,
and bedrock

77
Q

Scent detectors

A

develop to produce sensors that will detect methane.
**Used in the Kasey Anthony case

78
Q

Shrial pin staining:

A

will cause green staining on the side of the cranium or elbows

79
Q

Intentional cranial deformation affects cognitive abilities

A

false

**commonly practice in American southwest by natives

80
Q

True or false: Cremation will render bones to dust?

A

False

81
Q

Cameras and scopes:

A

can thread into graves or suspicious los to see if there is anything submerged

82
Q

night vision requires heat source

A

false

83
Q

Finger Print pattern

A

loops(1 core,1 delta) 65%
whirls(1 core 2 delta) 30 %
arches- (0 core,0 delta) 5%

84
Q

Ridge count:

A

number of ridges between core and delta is ridge count(ex: 16 ridges count at crime scene eliminates those who don’t have 16 to narrow it down)

85
Q

Type lines

A

(the area surrounding the fingerprint pattern)

86
Q

DO type lines contain individual characteristics

A

true

87
Q

Cases will go to court if there are 8 corresponding individual characteristics.

A

true

88
Q

Automated Fingerprint Identification System(AFIS) makes fingerprint hit?

A

False
People make fingerprint hits

89
Q

Animals: primates, particular chimps, have fingerprints that are indistinguishable from humans.

A

True

90
Q

Latent

A

:Invisible to the naked eye (before the ap of chemicals or powders)

*magnetic powder

91
Q

Patent:

A

visible buy use pateterns to make them look better

*8black carbon powder

92
Q

Plastic:

A

3-D (fingerprint imprinted in paint, putty, or gum)

93
Q

toolmarks

A

take hard substance and press into soft substance(ex: bite mark, hammer in wall,seerial # restoration

94
Q

Firearm examiners are ballistic

A

false

95
Q

Ballistic:

A

the study of a projectile in flight.

*** Firearm examiners can care less about what it does in the air. They care about what it does to the target (Interaction of the projectile with the target).

96
Q

Firearm and Toolmark examiners are responsible for the restoration of serial #’s, electronic or engine blocks.

A

true

97
Q

muzzles are important in self inflicted gunshot wounds

A

true

98
Q

Revolver doesn’t leave evidence behind

A

true
have to manually dump it

99
Q

(1) revolvers are less likely to jam than semiauto b/c they contain less moving parts. (

A

true

100
Q

(3) it takes slower to reload ammo in a revolver than in an semiauto (unless you use a speed-loader).

A

true

101
Q

4) revolvers do not expend firing casings as semiautos, must be done manually

A

true

102
Q

. (5) more gsr will be deposited on the shooters hands from revolver

A

true

103
Q

Anatomy of revolver:

A

**Grip, muzzle (becomes important w/contact gunshot wounds like suicides),

Barrel & cylinder (can be rifled, spiral pattern will be cut into it), trigger/hammer is hidden by a slide in the semiauto i.e the firing pin causes primer to ignite

104
Q

shotgun guns are rifled

A

false

105
Q

Pistols:

A

cases get ejected, load ammo into magazine,

  • 13 shots can held by pistol in chamber

**Will leave evidence behind at a crime scene
Because semi autos will automatically expel that cartridge casing

106
Q

A semiautomatic, automatically discharges or expends cartridges

A

False, it expends casings

107
Q

Anatomy of ammo

A
  • Projectile
  • Gun powder
  • casing
  • primer
108
Q

GSR must be conducted 2 hours after shooting

A

true; will be inconclusive after 2hr mark(worse evidence)

109
Q

Primer

A

3 elements only found in primers(percussion sensitive)

  • barium
  • antimony
  • lead
110
Q

GSR(Gunshot residue) is only in priming compounds

A

true

111
Q

Class characteristics of projectile

A
  • All military ammo must be jacketed
  • Type of jacketing
  • Caliber
  • Shape
  • Rifled projectile ten to triangle, handgun projectile dome shape
  • Manufacturing
  • Location of primer: most ammo has primer in middle, but can be around edges
112
Q

Inconclusive:

A

Is indicated when there is “some agreement” of individual characteristics and all discernible class characteristics, but insufficient for an identification.

113
Q

casing = firing pin impression

A

true;

114
Q
  • Jacketing:
A

something put over lead core of projectile

  • keeps thee bullet together because lead is soft

**military ammo is jacketed*

115
Q

individual characteristics of projectile

A
  • Landing grove impressions: scatches sene on jacketing or lead core, scratches come from spiral pattern. (rifling)
  • Rifles And handguns are rifled
  • Shotguns not rifled
116
Q

Landing grove impressions:

A

scatches sene on jacketing or lead core, scratches come from spiral pattern. (rifling)

117
Q

t/f: shotguns will have landing groove impression

A

false, landing roove= rifling

118
Q

Shotguns
- shotguns can shoot slugs and pellets

A
119
Q
  • shotguns shells have primer
A

true

120
Q

class characteristics of casings

A
  • Caliber
  • Length
  • Manufacturer
  • Base stamp info
  • Metal
  • Shape of nose/neck
121
Q

Individual characteristics of casing(4)

A
  • Firing pin impression(dimple in primer)(all)
  • Breach impression(base striations)(all)

*Two are unique to pistols
- Extractor marks(fingers that grap catridge and move magazine upstairs to firing chamber)

  • Injector mark: hooks in base of casing, and comes in firing chamber flips it out
122
Q

Extractor marks

A

**pistol
(fingers that grap catridge and move magazine upstairs to firing chamber)

123
Q
  • Injector mark:
A

hooks in base of casing, and comes in firing chamber flips it out

124
Q

Breech impression:

A

is the “dimple” impression, that is right in the middle of the primer. As the firing pin strikes the back of the cartridge, there’s a momentary reverse recoil. Entire base gets marked which are unique to that particular weapon

125
Q

Projectile

A

slug or pellet

126
Q

True or false? Shotgun slugs will have land & groove impressions? The answer is

A

False because shot guns aren’t rifled and land & groove impressions comes from rifling

127
Q

True or False? Shotgun shell have a primer?

A

True

128
Q

What ammo does shotguns shoot

A

slugs and pellets

129
Q

Rifling:

A

Barrel-has a spiral pattern. To make more accurate in flight. Has absolutely nothing to do w/rifling

130
Q

Gun Anatomy:
-Barrel (All)
-Trigger (All)
-Grip(All)
-Muzzle(All)
-Sight (All)
- -Hammer(All)
-Firing Pin(All)

Except:
-Magazine and slide(Pistol)
-Revolver(cylinder)

A
131
Q

GSR comes from the breaks on the top of the revolver

A

true

132
Q

Cartridge anatomy

A
  • Projectile
    -Gunpowder
  • casing
  • primer
133
Q

If you have a cartridge, you hould not have a firing pin impression

A

true

134
Q

Things that causes the projectile to be messed up in the weapon?

A
  1. Misfire
  2. ## Reloaded that casing into a new cartridge
135
Q

cartridges have firing pin impression

A

false;

  • Casing have firing pin impressions
    ***Cartridges are not fired
136
Q

Snake shots

A

-sooto shotgun shell or .22 caliber

137
Q

Spiral pattern- t

A

hat cuts through the barrel of the weapon

138
Q

what comes out muzzle

A
  1. Soot-ash
  2. Flame
  3. Burn and unburned
  4. Projectile
  5. Projectile
  6. Gases-Co (Primary)
  7. Barium, Antimony, Lead: used for GSR Testing
  8. Flakes of gunpowder
139
Q

Projectile has no Forensic evidence

A

true

140
Q

rifling impression

A
  • Spin on projectile, enables you to predict where it will end up on projectile
  • As projectile travels down the barrel it creates land and groove impressions
    Land- high spots
  • Groove-low impressions
  • Creates an etching and becomes a series of strations
141
Q

Full metal jacket(FMJ)

A

preserves landing groove impressions

Holds projectile together

142
Q
A
143
Q

Geneva Convention-In times of war all ammo has to be fully jacketed.

A

true

144
Q

Semi-jacket:

A

lead peaking through

145
Q

Unjacketed:

A

coat projectile wears-no jacket

Cop killer” is teflon jacketed will reflect on a bullet proof vest

146
Q

Fragment might can kill you if it hits you in the right spot

A

true

147
Q

In terms of forensic, it be harder to recover unjacketed rounds and will be reduced

A

true

148
Q

It will be impossible to trace land & groove off of unjacketed projectile

A

false(no)

149
Q

-Abrasion collar:

A

encircles the bullet hole. Is friction burn caused by the skin being stretched and abraded by the passing projectile

150
Q

-Stippling of the skin:

A

may occur from burned or unburned particles of gunpowder being forced into the skin

151
Q

-Stingeing of the skin or clothes:

A

this is due to muzzle flash or soot around the entry wound. May be deposited inside (as opposed to around) the wound tract.

152
Q

Muzzle of the weapon:

A

may be represented as a contusion around the entry wound

**The wound tract may be cherry red in color due to expulsion of CO

153
Q

-Stellate tear:

A

when flames goes inside bullet hole.

**Pressed up against surface (gases has no where to go, there’s bloating of the skin, the skin is stretched to capacity, causes serious of tears)

**msotly sene in heads, not seen in collar bones

154
Q

Wound Pattern Analysis:

A
  • Slug-major damage
  • Self-inflicted- catastrophic damage
  • Pellets- rarely lethal
155
Q

13ft: huge hole (cookie cutter defect)
30ft: pellet spread
10 yards-circle becomes closer
w/distance: they continue to spre

A
156
Q

Radiating fractures:

A
  • Terminate at preexisting fractures
  • Start at point of impact & radiate out
157
Q

Concentric fractures:

A
  • Fractures will form a circular marks around the point of impact
  • Original fracture that doesn’t radiate

-determine the side that it was hit on

158
Q

Headshot wounds

A
  • 1st shot will be an entrance wound
  • 2nd shot will be an exiting (will have exterior beveling)
  • 3rd another entrance wound
  • 4th will be an exiting wound (will have exterior beveling and a larger exit wound)
159
Q

Collection

A
  • Forceps(tweezers
  • Vacuums: sometimes may vacuum body
  • Tape: tape has stickiness of posted note and stick it and pull it(headrest of vehicle,clothing, skin (like a lint roller)