Exam #1 Flashcards
(195 cards)
1
Q
Who established the first workable crime laboratory?
A
Locard
2
Q
What three things can be rightfully cited as an explanation for the rapid growth of crime labs during the last 40 years?
A
1) Staggering increase in crime rates in the United States
2) Supreme Court decisions in the 1960s
3) Advent of DNA profiling
3
Q
Who devised a technique for determining the blood group of a dried bloodstain, which he applied to criminal investigations?
A
Lattes
THINK: blood latte
4
Q
In the case of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceutical, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court advocated that a “gatekeeper” determine the admissibility and reliability of scientific evidence. This gatekeeper is the:
A
Trial judge
5
Q
What supreme court case determines that the trial judge is the gatekeeper who is responsible for determining the admissibility and reliability of scientific evidence?
A
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceutical, Inc.
6
Q
The current system of crime laboratories in the United States can best be described as:
A
Decentralized
7
Q
Who established the comparison microscope as the indispensable tool of the modern firearms examiner?
A
Goddard
8
Q
Who wrote the first treatise describing the application of science to the field of criminal investigation?
A
Gross
9
Q
Specially trained personnel called ________ are employed by some crime laboratories on 24-hour call to retrieve evidence and have all the proper tools and supplies for proper collection and packaging of evidence at their disposal.
A
Evidence technicians
10
Q
What are evidence technicians?
A
Specially trained personnel who are employed by some crime laboratories on 24-hour call to retrieve evidence and have all the proper tools and supplies for proper collection and packaging of evidence at their disposal.
11
Q
Who undertook the first definitive study of fingerprints as a method of personal identification?
A
Galton
12
Q
Which would NOT be included in the work of the biology unit of a crime lab?
DNA profiling
Fingerprint analysis
Comparison of hairs
Blood typing
A
Fingerprint analysis
13
Q
Who developed the system known as anthropometry?
A
Bertillon
14
Q
What is anthropometry?
A
the scientific study of the measurements and proportions of the human body
15
Q
Which unit applies principles and techniques of chemistry, physics, and geology to the identification and comparison of crime scene evidence?
Toxicology
Forensic geology
Biology
Physical science
A
Physical science
16
Q
Which specialized area of forensic science examines the relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings?
A
Forensic psychiatry
17
Q
The case of Coppolino v. State highlights issues dealing with:
The admissibility of the polygraph.
The acceptability of new scientific tests.
Search and seizure.
The evidential value of confessions.
A
The acceptability of new scientific tests.
18
Q
The exchange of evidence principle was theorized by:
A
Locard.
19
Q
The scientific method requires that scientific evidence be validated by what three things?
A
1) Formulating hypotheticals.
2) Formulating pertinent questions.
3) Performing experiments.
20
Q
Who is known as the “father of forensic toxicology”?
A
Orfilia
21
Q
Bite marks would be LEAST likely to be found in cases involving:
A
Arson
22
Q
The judicial case that set forth the most current guidelines for determining the admissibility of scientific examinations in the federal courts is:
A
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals
23
Q
Which of the following services are typically provided to law enforcement by crime laboratories?
Psychology
Odontology
Pathology
Criminalistics
A
Criminalistics
24
Q
The oldest forensic laboratory in the United States is that of the:
A
Los Angeles Police Department
25
What three factors does the court usually take into consideration as sufficient grounds for qualification as an expert witness?
1) Experience
2) Education
3) Training
26
The lay witness provides testimony that relies on:
Personal Knowledge
27
The necessity for the forensic scientist to appear in court comes from the U.S. Supreme Court case:
Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts
28
A crime scene which involved the collapse of a structure would be analyzed by specialists in the area of:
Forensic engineering
29
Which search pattern is most reliant on the boundaries established?
Line
30
After providing or obtaining medical assistance for the injured and effecting an arrest of suspects (if possible), the first officer arriving at a crime scene should immediately:
Secure the Scene
31
At an arson scene, the collection of a substrate control would require the arson investigator to:
Collect a piece of the surface material near the fire's origin that he or she believes was not exposed to the accelerant
32
Police barricades, and the strategic positioning of guards, will prohibit access to the crime scene for:
All unauthorized personnel
33
The crime scene notes must accurately record what three things?
1) Descriptions of evidence present at the crime scene.
2) The tasks assigned each investigator.
3) Personnel arrivals and departures from the scene.
34
The best way to guarantee that the evidence will withstand inquiries about what happened to it from the time of its finding to its presentation in court is to do what three things?
1) Properly record the crime scene.
2) Properly complete evidence submission forms.
3) Properly mark evidence for identification.
35
All of the following items may be placed in an airtight container EXCEPT:
Blood-stained clothing.
Hairs and fibers.
Charred debris recovered from a fire.
Glass.
Blood-stained clothing.
36
Special circumstances at a crime scene may require the use of the following for evidence collection, EXCEPT:
Coveralls.
Biohazard packages.
Particle masks.
All of the above may be required.
All of the above may be required.
37
The conditions at a crime scene can be compromised by all of the following actions EXCEPT:
Turning on a faucet on the crime scene.
Smoking at the crime scene.
Eating food at the crime scene.
Taking photographs at the crime scene.
Taking photographs at the crime scene.
38
Changes to evidence, such as contamination, can be prevented by handling evidence with what two things?
Latex gloves and Disposable forceps
39
Digital crime scene photographs require special measures to assure their admissibility in court due to:
The ability to manipulate the images
40
The most basic methods of crime scene recording do NOT include:
Infrared analysis.
Photographs.
Narrated videotapes.
Note-taking.
Infrared analysis
41
Which crime scene search pattern does NOT require more than one investigator?
Line
42
The presence of blood and semen at crime scenes exposes investigators to what two things?
AIDS and Hepatitis B
43
Which U.S. Supreme Court decision which dealt with the impropriety of the warrantless collection of physical evidence at a homicide scene?
Mincey v. Arizona
44
The search pattern in which one or two investigators start at the boundary at one end of the scene and walk straight across to the other side is:
Line
45
When biological samples of unknown origin are discovered at a crime scene, investigators:
Should assume pathogens are present and treat the sample as such
46
The location of an item of evidence on a crime scene sketch is shown by its distance from points of reference that:
Are fixed or immovable
47
Which search pattern would be best suited for a crime scene where many investigators are available to search a large area?
Zone
48
The advantages of tape-recording crime scene notes on an audio tape include:
The notes are recording as the observations are made.
The investigator's hands are free to carry out other tasks while recording the notes.
Audio tapes have the added security feature of preventing erasure or taping over if the security tab on the tape.
49
Evidence commonly located during a vehicle search includes all of the following EXCEPT:
Fibers.
Paint evidence.
Broken glass.
Questioned documents.
Questioned documents.
50
Charred debris from an arson scene should be:
Packaged in airtight glass jars
51
Videotapes of the crime scene:
Must be complemented by a hard copy of notes and separate still photographs
52
The examination of a paint chip found on a hit-and-run victim's garment side-by-side with paint removed from a vehicle suspected of being involved in the incident is an example of:
Comparison
53
To calculate the overall frequency of occurrence of a blood type in a population, the ________ can be applied by using a series of blood factors that occur independently of each other.
Product Rule
54
The "jigsaw fit" of known and questioned fragments is important for court presentation primarily because:
This method will definitely demonstrate common origin when a match is made
55
The value of class physical evidence lies in its ability to:
Corroborate events with data in a manner nearly without bias
56
Evidence having class characteristics can:
Exonerate an innocent suspect
57
Which source of CODIS contains DNA profiles from unsolved crime scene evidence?
Forensic index
58
Evidence with individual characteristics can lead to a determination of common origin (single source). Which type of evidence CANNOT yield such results?
Single-layer paints
Random striations on tools
Wear patterns on tires
Fingerprints
Single-layer paints
59
Forensic databases are maintained for all of the following EXCEPT:
DNA.
Automotive paint.
Fingerprints
Dental impressions.
Dental impressions
60
Who ultimately determines the significance of physical evidence in a trial?
The Jury
61
If the laboratory can piece broken glass from a window or headlight together, then the evidence has ________ characteristics.
Individual
62
A comparison analysis subjects a suspect specimen and a control specimen to the same tests and examinations for the ultimate purpose of determining:
whether or not they have a common origin
63
The corroborative use of physical evidence means that it can be used to:
Support other investigative findings
64
The likelihood of finding class physical evidence is ________ the likelihood of finding physical evidence with individual characteristics.
Greater than
65
Multiplying together the frequencies of independently occurring factors is called the:
Product Rule
66
What is the product rule?
Multiplying together the frequencies of independently occurring factors
67
Physical evidence is considered to have ________ as that of eyewitness (testimonial) evidence
Greater value
68
Paint chips, random glass fragments, and synthetic fibers all exhibit:
Class characteristics.
69
When a forensic analyst determines the chemical composition of preparations that may contain illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or barbiturates, this is an example of:
Identification.
70
What three methods can be used in making an identification of a deceased individual?
1) Facial reconstruction
2) Dental examination
3) Fingerprinting
71
Partially digested or dissolved pills can be seen in the:
stomach
72
A body that displays a cherry-red discoloration might lead a pathologist to suspect poisoning by:
Carbon monoxide
73
Defense wounds are most typically seen on the:
hands
74
A pathologist would expect rigor mortis to disappear after ________ hours.
36
75
Time of death can be approximated by analyzing the vitreous humor and the levels of:
Potassium
76
Which should be performed first at a death scene?
Secure the Scene
77
What does hemoglobin transport in the blood?
Oxygen
78
What two factors can help to determine if a victim was alive during a fire?
Soot and Levels of carbon monoxide in the body
79
What part of the victim's body is often bagged in order to prevent loss of trace evidence?
Hands
80
Death intentionally caused by another person is typically ruled a(n):
Homicide
81
Toxicological specimens are taken at which stage of the death investigation?
Internal examination
82
Homicide, suicide, accident, natural, and undetermined are all categories of:
Manner of Death
83
Putrefaction and autolysis are two types of ________ processes.
Decomposition
84
Evidence of tampering with the position of a body after death can be obtained by evaluating the:
Livor mortis
85
The rate of cooling of a dead body can be influenced by all BUT the:
Location.
Size of body.
Gender of victim.
Weather conditions.
Gender of victim
86
Why are expert witnesses important?
They help to sway the jury
87
What is the Frye Standard?
Requires that any evidence brought into the ocurtroom should be generally accepted by the scientific community
88
What are substrate controls?
Uncontaminated surface material taken from an area close to where other physical evidence was found
testing samples aside from the main piece of evidence to use as a point of refrence
89
When enacting _______ privledges, the officers on the scene are:
4th amendment
the determining factor of probable cause
*you can be detained for probably cause without consent and not be searched*
90
How do you determine the angle of blood splatter impact?
sin angle = width/height
inverse sin (sin -1) = angle of impact
*sin angle should always be a decimal*
91
What is the largest of the velocity impact droplets?
Low Velocity
92
What types of impacts are low velocity?
transfer stains
drip trails
flow patterns
93
What types of impacts are medium velocity?
blunt force truama
arterial spray
cast off stains
94
What types of stains are small and have a mist like appearence?
High velocity stains
95
What types of impacts are high velocity?
gun shot wounds
explosions
expiated blood patterns
96
What are void patterns good for?
helping to determine if something/ someone was moved
97
What is the difference between a forensic autopsy and a clinical autopsy?
Forensic autopsy stops when evidence is. found to maintain a chain of custody and the integrity of evidence
Clinical autopsy is not worried about holding up in court so it does none of the above
98
What do toxicology screens typically look for?
drugs in the bloodstream
99
What is a metabolite of a drug?
something your body changes about the drug
100
Define cause of death:
what was the injury
101
Define manner of death:
was it/ what was the purpose
102
What is asphyxia?
anything that cuts off blood supply to your body
103
What are some examples of asphyxia?
toxic gas
chocking
carbon monoxide
104
What are the five categories of manner of death?
Homicide
Suicide
Accidental
Natural
Undetermined
105
What is Algor Mortis?
body temperature
106
What is Livor Mortis?
blood pooling
107
How is Livor Mortis caculated?
uses blanching to gauge how long it has been since the death
108
What is blanching?
a whitish discoloration that results when pressure is applied to the skin
109
What is Rigor Mortis?
stiffening of body parts
110
What are the two methods of decomposition?
autolysis and putrefaction
111
What is autolysis?
digestion by enzymes on cells
occurs quickly
112
What is putrefaction?
decomposition by micro organisms like bacteria
occurs slowly
113
What is forensic entomology?
study of insect to find and analyze crime scenes
114
Who is usually the first to a crime scene?
Insects bc they use chemical markers to find the dead bodies
115
What is the PMI?
post mortem interval
min and max time since death as determined by inset evidence
116
What five things do you need to know to determine the PMI?
1) species of the oldest insect present
2) more than one insect present
3) how the species develops
4) temperature of the environment around the body
5) oldest insect stage of whatever insect is being used
117
What do anthropologists do?
use bone to determine age, sex, and possibly recover DNA if there is still tissue present on the bone
118
What is important to know when distinguishing gender in a pelvis?
the sciatic notch, subpubic angle, and pelvic outlet are wider in females and more narrow in males
119
What five things are important to remember when determining gender in a skull?
Male suklls have:
- larger in size with more pronounced muscle
- more prominent supraorbital ridge
- more rounded upper orbital margin
- more square chin
- wider and more flared ramus
120
What bones tend to fuse first and last?
first: elbows
last: shoulders
121
What is bertillionage?
body measurements
122
What is serology?
study of body fluids
123
What is trace evidence?
deals with the minute transfers of materials that cannot be seen with the unaided eye
created when objects make contact
124
What is forensic odontology?
the application of dentistry to crime scenes and the law
i.e. bite marks
125
Who started the FBI and how has it changed since its development?
Hoover
temporarily in place to deal with crime
became more localized
state by state jurisdiction
126
Who is Bertillion?
first system of personal identification; bodily measurements
id/ measurements
127
Who is Galton?
first classification of finger prints
128
Who is Goddard?
father if ballistics
could determine bullet origin
129
Who is Osborn?
document cross examination
130
Who is McCrone?
used microscope to examine evidence in detail
131
Who is Orfila?
father of toxicology
132
Who is Galton?
first classification of fingerprints
133
Who is Lattes?
developed a procedure to determine blood type from blood stains
134
What is a Buccal swab?
DNA sample from a cheek swab
135
Who is Gross?
wrote the first treatise describing the application of scientific disciplines to the field of criminal investigation
136
Who is Locard?
created the first crime laboratory
He formulated the basic principle of forensic science: "Every contact leaves a trace". This became known as Locard's exchange principle
137
Why have the number of crime labs increased?
supreme court in the 1960's
emphasis on scientific evidence
more drug testing facilities
DNA profiling
138
What is the difference between federal, state, and local crime labs?
government, funding, and more jurisdiction
139
What does it mean to release a crime scene and what needs to happen before this can occur?
it will no longer stay a crime scene
final sweep
evidence collection
140
What does it mean to maintain the chain of custody?
It tracks who, what, or where the evidence is
141
What is IAFIS?
fingerprint database
142
What is CODIS?
combined DNA index
143
What is NIBIN?
Ballistics database
144
What is SICAR?
shoeprint database
145
What is PDQ?
paint database
146
What are class characteristics?
properties of physical evidence that can be associated only with a group and never with a single source
147
What is class evidence?
substances such as blood, paint, and hair, which can be used to place an individual in a general class but cannot be used to identify an individual
148
How are exclusions and linkages inportant in investigations?
looking at abilities and connections
149
Describe the two steps in the process of comparison.
combining select properties that are chosen from the suspect and standard reference
150
What is skeletonization?
a pool of blood that has started to dry and is them smeared
151
What does expiated mean?
micro drops that are exhaled from a nose, or are coughed up through a mouth
152
Who are the three major groups of people usually involved with crime scene reconstruction?
law enforcement
medical examiner
criminalist
153
How does the physical nature of the target surface affect the resulting spatter of a blood drop?
hard and smooth = less splatter
rough = more splatter
154
How can an investigator tell the direction of travel of blood from the shape of a blood stain?
the direction of the tail
where gravity pulls
155
Which type of splatter is more likely to be deposited on the object or person of impact?
back splatter
156
What is ossification?
cartilage that turns to bone
157
What information about a corpse can be determined using insects? (4 things)
1) min and max time of death
2) what happened to the person before death
3) if the body was moved
4) cause of death
158
What are the four pieces of info needed to determine time of death by insect?
1) oldest stage of the insect on the body
2) insect species
3) temperature data
4) development date
159
Where on a corpse are insects most likely to colonize first and why?
Any sort of open wound (no matter the size), the mouth, eye sockets, or nose because they want to lay eggs by a warm and wet place
160
What is the CSI effect?
thinking you know the information about forensic because of TV shows like CSI
161
What does a forensic scientist not do?
Everything... there are speciality roles
Don't arrest, chase, or solve whole cases
162
What three factors determine the admissibility of evidence?
legally obtained (warrant)
expert witness
chain of custody
163
What did the Frye case do?
set guidelines for admissibility of evidence
164
What did the daubert case do?
set the judge as the gatekeeper to determine admissibility of evidence
165
What are the implications of not maintaining chain of custody when handling evidence?
it can not hold up in court
166
What is the most important prereq for photographing a crime scene and why?
securing the scene to make sure everything is as un touched in the photos to prevent admissibility and tampering
167
How are linkages and exclusions important in investigations?
related and unrelated to case to narrow down suspects
168
Why are some jurists wary of allowing unconditional use of scientific evidence in court?
tampering
not understanding the science which can accidentally lead to biasing someone
169
What does a blood splatter trail do?
point in the direction of travel
because of gravity
170
What is the difference between forward and back splatter?
direction of travel
171
As velocity and force increase what happens to blood droplets?
they get smaller
172
Name two ways to distinguish expirated blood from other types of bloodtsains:
lighter
less of it (mist-like) because it is diluted by siliva
173
How does the first transfer pattern in a series differ from subsequent ones?
First is stronger/darker/more refined and it gets less and less as it goes on
174
What is a flow pattern?
blood pooling out of the body based on gravity
175
What would one think if a flow pattern found on a body does not appear consistent with the direction of gravity?
that the body had been moved
176
Name the differences between external and internal examination during an autopsy:
external: stab wounds and such noticed before cutting the body open
internal: cut open body and blood sample tests
177
What are the five most common causes of death?
1) gunshot wound
2) blunt force injury
3) sharp force injury
4) asphyxia
5) substance abuse
178
Why is it important to understand successional colonization of a body by insect?
help to gauge which insect was their first to better determine time of death
179
When is entomology not useful in determining time of death?
when it is too cold so there are no insects
and
when the insects have been there for more than one life cycle
180
What are four changes that occur to bones during development and throughout life?
1) rate of fusion
2) bone density
3) sutures in skull
4) flattening of pelvis
181
How is age determined during childhood using forensic anthropology?
teeth if under 10
bone fusion if over 10
182
How is age determined during adulthood using forensic anthropology?
wear and tear on boned (specifically the pelvis)
bone density
183
What is the key to knowing the order of blow fly sucession?
1st instar is younger than the 2nd instar ect
184
What is the top outer part of the pelvis called?
pubis
sciatic notch
sacrun
pelvic outlet
ilium
pubic symphysis (cartilage)
subpubic angle
coccyx
ilium
185
What is the top middle part of the pelvis called?
pubis
sciatic notch
sacrun
pelvic outlet
ilium
pubic symphysis (cartilage)
subpubic angle
coccyx
sacrum
186
What are the little gaps under the Ilium on a pelvis called?
pubis
sciatic notch
sacrun
pelvic outlet
ilium
pubic symphysis (cartilage)
subpubic angle
coccyx
sciatic notch
187
What is at the bottom of the sacrum called?
pubis
sciatic notch
sacrun
pelvic outlet
ilium
pubic symphysis (cartilage)
subpubic angle
coccyx
Coccyx
188
What is between the sacrum and Ilium on a pelvis?
pubis
sciatic notch
sacrun
pelvic outlet
ilium
pubic symphysis (cartilage)
subpubic angle
coccyx
pelvic outlet (opening)
189
What is located under the coccyx on a pelvis?
pubis
sciatic notch
sacrun
pelvic outlet
ilium
pubic symphysis (cartilage)
subpubic angle
coccyx
pubic symphysis (cartilage)
190
What is located on either side of the pubic symphysis (cartilage) on a pelvis?
pubis
sciatic notch
sacrun
pelvic outlet
ilium
pubic symphysis (cartilage)
subpubic angle
coccyx
Pubis
191
What is located at the bottom of the pelvis?
pubis
sciatic notch
sacrun
pelvic outlet
ilium
pubic symphysis (cartilage)
subpubic angle
coccyx
subpubic angle
192
What part of the skull is in the orbit?
the eye sockets
193
What is the top part of the eye socket called on a skull?
supra-orbital ridge
194
Where on a skull is the maxilla?
In between the noes and teeth by the cheeks
195
Where on a skull is the mandible?
the jaw
