Lecture 4.5

Question 1

Areas of forensic science…

Answer 1

Toxicology, psychology, pathology, entomology, botany, digital forensics, criminalistics, anthropology, and odontology

Question 2

Forensic anthropology…

Answer 2

Recovery, biological profiles, analyze traumatic injury patterns, patterns of taphonomy

Question 3

Studies processes that affect skeletal remains after deposition…

Answer 3

Taphonomy

Question 4

Aims of forensic anthropology…

Answer 4

criminal death investigations/courtroom testimony, human rights violations, mass disasters, and methods development

Question 5

What is the temporal boundary for a case to be considered archeological?

Answer 5

~50 years

Question 6

What is forensic odontology?

Answer 6

Application of dental science to medicolegal investigations

Question 7

Aims of forensic odontology…

Answer 7

Victim identification and bite mark analysis

Question 8

Types of dental identification…

Answer 8

Positive, Possible, Insufficient evidence, and exclusion

Question 9

Positive Identification

Answer 9

ante- and postmortem data match to establish they represent the same individual

Question 10

Possible identification

Answer 10

ante- and postmortem data have consistent features, but difficult to establish identity due to record quality/ missing info.

Question 11

Insufficient Evidence

Answer 11

data is insufficient to form conclusion

Question 12

Exclusion

Answer 12

ante- and postmortem data inconsistent and clearly do not represent the same individual

Question 13

What use do teeth have in victim identification?

Answer 13

Comparison of antemortem dental records to postmortem identification; biological profile based on development, macrowear, metrics, stable isotopes, and modifications

Question 14

Seven classifications of bite marks…

Answer 14

Hemorrhage, abrasion, contusion, laceration, incision, avulsion, and artifact

Question 15

What is the Daubert Test and what does it determine?

Answer 15

Set of criteria to determine admissibility of expert witness testimony; determines if the testimony is based on scientifically valid reasoning and properly applies facts at issue

Question 16

What are the five Daubert Test criteria?

Answer 16

1. can the theory be tested?
2. has the technique/theory been peer reviewed?
3. Is the rate of error for the technique known?
4. Are there maintained standards for applying this technique?
5. Is there widespread acceptance of the technique/theory within relevant scientific community?