key notes

Question 1

Forensic science

Answer 1

science used for the purpose of the law

Application of science to the law

Question 2

Locard’s principle

Answer 2

Every contact leaves a trace.

Question 3

Legal examples

Answer 3

Criminal investigations
civil proceeding- relationship with each other
Consumer protection- faulty items
Environmental protection- toxic substances
collision investigation

Question 4

Roles of a forensic scientist

Answer 4

Analysing evidence
Writing reports
Presenting in court
Rarely attend a crime scene

Question 5

defendant lawyer

Answer 5

Verify or question the scientific integrity of the work carried out
corroborate or refute a question or hypothesis posed by the investigating team

Question 6

fingerprints

Answer 6

class characteristics- whorls, loops etc
individual characteristics

Question 7

inconclusive

Answer 7

looks similar but no hard evidence

Question 8

Elimination

Answer 8

No way

Question 9

Identification

Answer 9

Definitely a match

Question 10

How do the police know they should attend

Answer 10

notification from public
Alarm (direct link)
Security company
Police patrol

Question 11

Responder in the control room

Answer 11

Gather relevant info- location, incident type, condition/dangers, suspects, injuries

Question 12

FOA

Answer 12

First Officer attending

preserve life, initial scene security, public order, initial arrests

Question 13

Uniformed response team

Answer 13

Arrests, establish cordons, search area, transport suspects

Question 14

Volume crime

Answer 14

bulglary, vechile crimes

Question 15

Major crime

Answer 15

physical assault (murder), sexual assault (rape)

Question 16

Non-crime

Answer 16

suicide, sudden death, fatal fires, bomb threats

Question 17

SOCO core competencies

Answer 17

Preservation, Documentation, Examination, Recovery

Question 18

Roles of SOCO

Answer 18

Assessing the crime scene, sketching, measurements, photos, safe storage, victim support, present expert testimony in court

Question 19

Process of scene examination

Answer 19

Risk assessment, cordon check, welfare issues, scene approach, photos/ videos, forensic collection

Question 20

Types of intelligence

Answer 20

verbal info, DNA, footmark, tool marks, fingerprints, fingermarks

Question 21

fingerprint recovery

Answer 21

photos for visible marks
powders- nonporus/ semi-porus surfaces
chemical development- porous and nonporus

Question 22

what may need protection

Answer 22

victim, witnesses, Family/ public, entry/ exit points, trace evidence, weapons/ tools

Question 23

what do they need protection from

Answer 23

weather, tides, animals/ insects, surroundings, contamination, public, perp, family, press

Question 24

Contamination

Answer 24

make impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substance

Question 25

Cross-contamination

Answer 25

when trace evidence is transferred from one object or person to another via a third party

Question 26

Scene protection why?

Answer 26

minimise contamination, maximise evidence potential, maximise evidence recovery, maximise attack in court, maximise successful outcomes

Question 27

cordons

Answer 27

there isnt always more than 1, physical barriers, often use existing barriers, preserve evidence

Question 28

Access logs

Answer 28

document authorised access, generated by police officer on guard, who is present, who enter/exit scene, time of entry/exit, purpose for being there

Question 29

CAP

Answer 29

Common approach path

Question 30

Crime scene log

Answer 30

permanent record, accounts step/physical evidence, inital assessment, determine resources needed, action plan, evidence recovery, reference number, time collected, starts chain of custody