Module 1 (Legal Terms) Flashcards
Reproducibility
Anyone who repeats an experiment should obtain comparable (similar) results.
Falsifiability
Findings that, if incorrect, can be clearly demonstrated as false.
Sequential Unmasking
Giving information one step at a time, as to prevent bias.
Accreditation
A laboratory has agreed to operate per professional standard and has proven it operates as such.
Quality Assurance
Prevention of defects & management of quality
Quality Control
Identification of defects & quality verification
Certification
An individual has completed a test certifying their competency.
Legal Precedent
What earlier courts have decided in similar cases
Civil Law
- Citizen or Company vs Citizen
- Offense is called a “tort”
- Plaintiff and Respondent
Criminal Law
- Government vs Citizen
- Offense is a felony or misdemeanor
Prosecution
-Party filing criminal charges
Plaintiff
Party filing civil charges
Defendant
The accused
Trier of Fact
A judge of sorts; the entity who makes the final decision based on given evidence
Burden of Proof
Prosecutor must prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt (in a criminal case)
Probable Cause
Reasonable grounds for initiating something
What do all forensic scientists abide by?
Code of ethics
Adjudicated
Legal process of resolving a dispute or deciding a case
Adversarial System
Legal system where two advocates represent their parties’ case
If a police officer suspects a driver of driving under the influence, he can pull a car over and request that the driver take a breath test. The results of this test can provide probable cause. Explain what this means.
It’s probable cause because if the breath test shows the BAC is higher than it should be, the officer has reason to arrest the driver.
Suppose that the results of this breath test were positive, and the driver is arrested and a blood sample collected and sent to the laboratory. The laboratory assigns the case to an analyst but does not provide her with any other information. What practice is this an example of?
This is an example of sequential unmasking(?) and is meant to prevent bias.
Graphology practitioners claim that they can identify personality traits from your handwriting. Is this a science, and why/why not?
This is a pseudoscience, not real science, since there is no verifiability/falsifiability to prove their findings.
When your doctor orders a blood test for you, the sample is sent to an accredited laboratory. Why?
Probably because an accredited laboratory is more likely to send back the proper results, as they’ve been tested on their methods and successfully met the standard.
What is the difference between accreditation and certification?
Accreditation is the laboratory as a whole being tested. Certification is just one individual.
