Crime Scene Basics- For Exam

Question 1

Who is considered the “Father of Modern Forensic Science” and coined the phase, “Every contact leaves a trace”?

Answer 1

Edmond Locard

Question 2

Who developed a system of body measurements known as Anthropometry, as a method of identification?

Answer 2

Alphonse Bertillion

Question 3

T/F An expert witness has knowledge a lay person would not possess

Answer 3

True

Question 4

What would be considered a secondary crime scene?

Answer 4

A crime scene separate from the primary scene

Question 5

What are 3 methods for documenting a crime scene?

Answer 5

Photos, diagrams, and notes

Question 6

What is the first step in documenting a crime scene?

Answer 6

Taking photographs

Question 7

T/F Close-up photographs should be taken at 90 degrees

Answer 7

True

Question 8

When are mid-range photos taken?

Answer 8

After overall photographs are taken and before close-up photographs

Question 9

What type of evidence would be photographed with a measuring device if photographing shoeprints, fingerprints, shell casings

Answer 9

Fingerprints and shoeprints

Question 10

What are 3 forms of crime scene diagrams?

Answer 10

rough sketch, finished sketch, and computer aided drawing

Question 11

What are 2 most commonly used methods for creating a crime scene diagram?

Answer 11

Baseline, Triangulation

Question 12

T/F The notes taken at the crime scene can be discarded after the final report has been completed

Answer 12

False

Question 13

Properties of evidence that can be associated with a group and not with a single source:

Answer 13

Class characteristics

Question 14

Properties of evidence that can be attributed to a single source with an extremely high degree of certainty are referred to as:

Answer 14

Individual Characteristics

Question 15

T/F Comparison is the process of ascertaining whether two or more objects have a common origin

Answer 15

True

Question 16

AFIS is forensic database for:

Answer 16

Fingerprints

Question 17

What forensic database stores information about DNA profiles

Answer 17

CODIS

Question 18

What is the surgical procedure performed to determine the cause of death?

Answer 18

Autopsy

Question 19

What are the 3 fingerprint patterns?

Answer 19

Loops, arches, whorls

Question 20

Who published a textbook on fingerprints in 1892?

Answer 20

Francis Galton

Question 21

T/F Multiple people have the same fingerprints

Answer 21

False

Question 22

T/F The chain of custody is important for evidence

Answer 22

True

Question 23

What pattern of fingerprint is the most common?

Answer 23

50% of people have loops

Question 24

Which print is invisible to the naked eye?

Answer 24

Latent print

Question 25

Super glue fuming should not be used on which of these surfaces, metal, leather, cardboard, plastic bag?

Answer 25

Cardboard

Question 26

Powders should be used on the following, mirrors, glass, tiles or all of the above

Answer 26

All of the above

Question 27

Which is not an example of a long gun, shotgun, pistol, rifle?

Answer 27

pistol

Question 28

T/F Lands and grooves can be found outside of the barrel?

Answer 28

False

Question 29

What kind of microscope is used to compare striation marks?

Answer 29

Comparison microscope

Question 30

T/F The distance from which a gun was fired can be determined based on gunpowder residue.

Answer 30

True

Question 31

T/F Serial Numbers can ALWAYS be recovered from guns.

Answer 31

False

Question 32

Which areas do not retain fingerprints on a gun, barrel, revolver cylinder, edge of trigger guard.

Answer 32

Edge of trigger guard

Question 33

T/F A tool mark is an impression, cut, gouge, or abrasion caused by a tool.

Answer 33

True

Question 34

Name at least one other type of impression:

Answer 34

shoe, tire, bite mark, tool mark, and plastic fingerprint

Question 35

T/F Photography and casting should be done on footwear impressions.

Answer 35

True

Question 36

Human bite mark impressions have convicted defendants in what type of cases, robbery, homicide, rape?

Answer 36

Homicide and rape

Question 37

Arches comprise only 5% of all fingerprint patterns in the population, what are the 2 variations of arches?

Answer 37

Plain and tented

Question 38

What are friction ridges?

Answer 38

raised strips of skin found on the palms of the hands, fingertips, and soles of the feet

Question 39

Only 2 areas of the body have friction skin, they are:

Answer 39

hands and the bottom of the feet

Question 40

What are the 2 main layers of skin?

Answer 40

Epidermis and dermis

Question 41

What color does Nynhydrin produce?

Answer 41

purple

Question 42

What is the result of temporary destruction of ridges?

Answer 42

The ridges will grow back in exactly the same pattern

Question 43

What is NOT considered a porous surface, tile, cloth, paper, cardboard, skin?

Answer 43

Tile

Question 44

After successfully visualizing a latent print on an object an investigator should next...

Answer 44

Take a 1:1 photograph of the print

Question 45

Fingerprints are formed:

Answer 45

During fetal development

Question 46

Trace evidence consists of:

Answer 46

Hairs, fibers, glass, paints, and soil

Question 47

Biological evidence can consist of:

Answer 47

blood and other bodily fluids such as spittle, semen, vaginal secretions, or any other DNA source such as bone or tissue

Question 48

Fingerprints found deposited in a crime scene consist of:

Answer 48

98% water, 2% a combination of grease, oils, salts, and amino acids

Question 49

3 basic forms of fingerprints

Answer 49

Latent- invisible to the naked eye Patent- deposits of contaminants (blood or greasy marks) Plastic- fingerprint impressions where a print has been deposited in a soft surface like wax

Question 50

Evidence is defined as:

Answer 50

anything that tends to prove or disprove a fact in contention

Question 51

What is the purpose and goal of processing a crime scene

Answer 51

to collect as much information and evidence as possible in as pristine a condition as possible

Question 52

Why is the order of sequence of the scene processing so important?

Answer 52

you only get one chance to do it right

Question 53

What does ALS stand for?

Answer 53

Alternative light source

Question 54

When collecting shoe impressions at a crime scene, what are 3 physical methods used for collecting the impression?

Answer 54

casting, gel-lifts, electro-static lifter

Question 55

Bloodstain pattern interpretation is a discipline that utilizes

Answer 55

biology and physics

Question 56

When an individual is struck with a weapon, the object doing the striking will begin to pick up blood and cast it off onto a surface. By examining the number of these patterns one can deduce...

Answer 56

How many times a person was hit

Question 57

Blood droplets striking a surface and leaving well formed stains make it possible to determine what?

Answer 57

Direction and movement

Question 58

Spill pattern

Answer 58

pooling of blood that spills, like spilling a drink

Question 59

Expirated blood

Answer 59

blood blown out of an individuals nose, mouth, or wound

Question 60

Void area

Answer 60

An absence of stains in an otherwise continuous bloodstain pattern.

Question 61

Cast-off

Answer 61

Pattern created when blood is released or thrown from blood bearing object in motion

Question 62

Transfer pattern

Answer 62

Pattern created when a wet surface comes into contact with a second surface

Question 63

High velocity

Answer 63

Bloodstains produced by a force of approximately 100 ft per second or grater, such as a gunshot or high speed machinery

Question 64

The goal of a crime scene investigation are to make a connection between...

Answer 64

victim, crime, suspect

Question 65

For photography, what is the role of the shutter speed

Answer 65

the speed at which the shutter of the camera closes. A fast shutter speed creates a shorter exposure — the amount of light the camera takes in — and a slow shutter speed gives the photographer a longer exposure.

Question 66

For photography, what is the role of the aperture

Answer 66

the opening of a lens's diaphragm through which light passes. It is calibrated in f/stops and is generally written as numbers such as 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11 and 16.

Question 67

For photography, what is the role of ISO

Answer 67

ISO refers to your camera's sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive your camera sensor becomes, and the brighter your photos appear. ISO is measured in numbers.

Question 68

Scientific method

Answer 68

- Define the problem or question - Recognize variable/options - Gather and weigh evidence - Form a hypothesis, identify predictions - Classify and organize the data - Test predictions - State opinion

Question 69

Scientific method as per investigation

Answer 69

- Investigative question - Investigative process: crime scene processing, interviews/interrogations, lab analysis, source of information, crime scene analysis - Investigative conclusion

Question 70

What is forensic science

Answer 70

The application of science to criminal and civil law

Question 71

AFIS stands for:

Answer 71

Automated Fingerprint Identification System

Question 72

What does CODIS stand for:

Answer 72

Combined DNA Indexing System

Question 73

What does NIBIN stand for:

Answer 73

National Integrated Ballistic Information Network