HOSA Forensic Science Flashcards
who helped advance fingerprints, firearms, and hair analysis
victor balthazard
who was credited with developing a probability model that showed fingerprints are unique
victor balthazard
who developed an advanced photographic method of comparing markings on bullets
victor balthazard
what is the identification of suspects using 11 body measurements
anthropometry/bertillonage
who created anthropometry
alphonse bertillon
when was anthropometry popular
1883-1900s
who was the first forensic scientist that used fingerprints to solve a case?
alphonse bertillon
who was the cousin of charles darwin
sir francis galton
who developed the first classification for fingerprints
sir francis galton
what is used to describe one of the features found on fingerprints in the us
galton ridge
who is credited with establishing examination of firearms evidence in the us
galvin goddard
who coined the term criminalistics
hans gross
what does criminalistics refer to
the forensics analysis of physical evidence
who wrote kriminologie
hans gross
what is locards exchange principal?
every contact leaves a trace
who created locards exchange principle
edmond locard
who is the founder of forensic toxicology
mathieu orfila
who spent a good deal of their time studying poison
mathieu orfila
what poison did mathieu orfila spend the most time studying
arsenic
what is the adversarial system
two positions arguing for acceptance
what is a judge and jury also called
finder of fact/ trier of truth
what is the scientific method
data based and founded on concepts taken collectively through a series of steps
what is the first step of the scientific method
formulate hypothesis
what is the second step of the scientific method
test hypothesis using observation or experimentation
what is the third step of the scientific method
based on results, revise hypothesis and repeat 1 and 2
what is the fourth step of the scientific method
continue until the data is in agreement with hypothesis
what is the first thing a forensic scientist should do
distinguish evidence from coincidence
what is the 2nd thing a forensic scientist should do
rank alternative results based on the basic principals in applied sciences
what is the third thing a forensic scientist should do
allow for certainty and probabilistic considerations wherever appropriate through this ranking
what is the fourth thing a forensic scientist should do
disallow hypothesis more extraordinary than facts
what is the fifth thing a forensic scientist should do
pursue specific details
what is the sixth thing a forensic scientist should do
pursue testing by addressing smallest logical component of the hypothesis one at a time
what are the opinions of charles sander pierce
contrite fallibilism
what is contrite fallibilism
the awareness of how much we do not know and the humanity to acknowledge the possibility of making mistakes
what are public laboratories?
laboratories funded by the government
what are private laboratories?
businesses designed to make a profit
what do most private laboratories specialized in?
DNA and forensic toxicology
what is the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner tasked with?
death investigations and houses laboratories associated with performing autopsies
what will the office of the Chief Medical Examiner also have?
toxicology laboratories to analyze postmortem samples
what do full-service laboratories cover?
DNA, drug analysis, firearms and tool marks, trace evidence, and fingerprints
what is an example of a full-service laboratory?
FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia
What is a small branch laboratory?
laboratory that focuses on one type of evidence
what are the jobs of a forensic scientist that is also a police officer?
respond to crime scenes, process and collect evidence, deliver evidence for further testing
what is a accreditation?
a laboratory that agrees to work according to professional standards and proves that it can and does operate this way
what does accreditation also require?
re-accreditation on a set schedule
what is certification?
a forensic scientist that has completed a written test covering their discipline
what board covers the most diverse set of forensic disciplines?
American Board of Criminalistics
how does certification begin?
passing a multiple-choice test
what can you do after certification?
to be further certified in a specialty area
what does this level of certification require?
a successful completion of yearly proficiency tests
Mathieu Orfila
(1787-1853) Founder of forensic toxicology, studied positions, and worked on the Marie Lafarge poisoning case
Sir Francis Galton
(1822-1911) Developed the first classification system for fingerprints, published the book Fingerprints in 1892, and described the loop, arch, and whorl of fingerprint patterns
Hans Gross
(1847-1915) Generalist who believed in diverse approaches to forensic science, and published the first forensic textbook, Criminal Investigation, in 1893
Victor Bathazard
(1852-1950) Paris Medical Examiner who advanced fingerprints, firearm and hair analysis, showed that fingerprint are unique to the 10^60, and used photography to help identify bullets
Alphonse Bertillion
(1853-1914) Developed anthropometry and was the first to solve a case using the fingerprints
Edmond Locard
(1877-1966) Established a forensic lab in Lyons France in 1910, founded the Locard Exchange Principle and focused on trace evidence
Calvin Goddard
(1891-1955) established the study of firearms evidence in the US, established a variety of police labs in the US, and invented the comparison scope
anthropometry
system of identification of suspects involving 11 body measurements+descriptions+photos
criminalistics
describe forensic analysis of physical evidence
Locard Exchange Principal
every contact leaves a trace
Juan Vucitech
(1891) who began the first fingerprint files
The Henry Classification System
classification for fingerprinting in all European Countries
1 in 64 billion
Sir Francis Galton’s odds for two fingerprints being the same
the scientific method
system in which forensic scientists work
the adversarial system
system in which lawyers work
finder of fact
judge or jury who determines “right” in a case
civil cases
occur when laws have been broken, the government in the prosecutor and guilt but be shown beyond a reasonable doubt (99%)
felony
serious criminal case, possibility of greater than 1 year in prison
misdemeanor
minor criminal case, possible of a fine or less than 1 year in jain
voir dire
qualifications of scientists given in a court of law
subpoena
a statement requiring someone to appear in court and stating the when and where the trial will be held
Gilbert Thomas
(1882) who used fingerprints officially in the US for the first time
Dr. Henry Faulds
(1880) first to come up with a classification system based on fingerprints
when was the first fingerprint identification made?
1892
when was the idea of fingerprinting introduced to England/Wales
1901
Karl Landsteiner
discovered ABO blood typing and received the Nobel Prize in medicine for this work in 1930
Alec Jeffreys
geneticist who developed DNA testing
Colin Pitchfork
first criminal convicted by DNA evidence
William Hershel (1856)
the first to use fingerprinting as a method of identification
Forensic Nurse
trained to treat trauma patients (assaulted), take blood and tissue samples, collect evidence, photography, and measure wounds
rules of evidence
allows expert witnesses to explain techniques in court
daubert trilology
judge becomes gatekeeper to determine the admissibility of evidence while following the court framework
frye standard
new methods must be generally accepted by scientists
federal rules of evidence
allows expert witnesses to explain techniques in court
direct evidence
evidence that establishes something without further work (eyewitness testimony)
circumstantial evidence
evidence that requires reasonable inferences to be drawn (DNA found at crime scene)
class characteristic evidence
evidence that doesn’t indicate a specific individual (shell casing, sneaker prints)
individual characteristic evidence
evidence that does indicate a specific individual (fingerprints, DNA)
associative evidence
things found at crime scene that can be matched to an exemplar (standard)
biological evidence
human (or other) tissues used to identify a person or animal. Includes DNA testing
chemical evidence
includes drugs, explosive, toxicology, ect.
trace evidence
random stuff left at a crime scene and taken from a crime scene due to Locard’s Exchange Principle
Fingerprint evidence
fingerprints and their identification and developments
firearm and tool mark evidence
fired bullets, casings, gun powder residue, impressions left by tools, ect.
questioned documents
examining documents for forgery
primary crime scene
site of first criminal activity in case
secondary crime scene
site of following criminal activity in a case
macroscopic crime scene
the whole crime scene
microscopic crime scene
small, contained parts of the crime scene
link search
one type of evidence leads to another (most common)
line search
work horizontally across an area with large groups of volunteers (best outdoors, requires a large
grid search
work horizontally and vertically across an area with large groups of volunteers (time consuming but effective)
wheel search
spread out like spokes on a wheel from the center. (best used in a small circular crime scene, uncommon)
spiral search
works outwards in concentric circles (limited best used in water)
coroner
Government agent responsible for performing death investigations. typical in rural areas
medical examiner
appointed to work on death investigations. Required to be licensed to practice medicine
cause of death
diseases/trauma that was direct cause of death
mechanism of death
specific occurrence that caused death
manner of death
how the cause of death came about (natural, accidental, homicide, suicide)
rigor mortis
stiffening of the muscles after death
4-36 hours after death
time frame for rigor mortis
livor mortis
Discoloration of the body after death due to setting of the red blood cells
12-36 hours
time frame for livor mortis
algor mortis
cooling of body after death
37 C
normal human body temp
1.5 F per hour
time frame for cooling of a nude body a 20 C
incised wounds
Injury produced with a sharp instrument and characterized by lack of surface abrasion and bridging vessels/nerves
autopsy
dissection to determine cause of death
mechanical trauma
occurs when something with force breaks tissue
sharp force trauma
occurs when a sharp objects breaks tissues. produces incised wounds
blunt force trauma
occurs when a dull objects with a large amount of force breaks tissue. produces lacerations
penetrating gunshot
gunshot with no exit wound
perforating gunshot
gunshot with an exit wound
perforating gunshot
gunshot with an exit wound
perforating gunshot
gunshot with an exit wound
perforating gunshot
gunshot with an exit wound
perforating gunshot
gunshot with an exit wound
perforating gunshot
gunshot with an exit wound
perforating gunshot
gunshot with an exit wound
contact gunshot
leaves large lacerations, blackened skin, and carboxymyglobin
distant gunshot
circular hole in skin, defective and abraded skin
exit wounds
typically the larger and more lacerated gunshot wounds, except in contact gunshots
chemical trauma
deaths resulting from drugs/poisons
thermal trauma
deaths resulting from excessive temperatures
hypothermia
excessive cold
hyperthermia
excessive heat
electrical trauma
passage of electricity through a person
ventricular fibrillation
quivering of the heart, can be caused by low voltage electricity
tetany
sustained contraction of the heart, can be caused by high voltage
asphyxias
interruption of oxygen to the brain
drowning
water in the lings, diatoms in bone marrow
ligature strangulation
leaves no fracture of thyroid cartilage only signs are asphyxia and furrow on the neck
300 g
normal heart weight?
cadeveric spasm
forceful muscle contraction at the moment of death
autolysis
when internal organs, including the brain, self loosen after death
adipocere
waxy, grey fat that occurs when bodies are in water
macerated
softening and breaking down of skin from prolonged exposure to water
arteriosclerosis
hardening of the arteries
myocardial infraction
a blockage of the heart that results in the death of heart muscle
epidural hemorrhage
hemorrhage due to trauma between the dura mater and the skull
arachnoid
two thin, filming transparent membranes that cover the brain directly below the mater
