Pattern Evidence and Locard's Principle Exam Study Guide

Question 1

Forensic Science

Answer 1

relating to or dealing with the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems

Question 2

Crimininalistics

Answer 2

the application of forensic science to criminal matters

Question 3

Criminology

Answer 3

social science study of crime and criminal behavior

Question 4

Locard’s Principle

Answer 4

is the principle that every time someone enters an environment, something is added to and removed from it

Question 4

What does Locard’s Prinicple mean for science?

Answer 4

it improved science and it provides us with valuable information as to the circumstances of a crime scene

Question 5

Physical Evidence

Answer 5

tangible articles

Question 6

Inceptive Evidence

Answer 6

evidence used to show whether or not a crime has been committed

Question 7

Examples of Inceptive Evidence

Answer 7

seized blocks of cocaine

Question 8

Identification Evidence

Answer 8

used to identify someone

Question 9

Associative Evidence

Answer 9

associates someone with the scene

Question 9

Examples of Identification Evidence

Answer 9

fingerprints, DNA testing, firearms, etc.

Question 10

Corroborative Evidence

Answer 10

used to support other evidence

Question 10

Examples of Associative Evidence

Answer 10

weapons, hair, fibers, etc.

Question 10

Scene Processing

Answer 10

the scientific method of gathering evidence from a crime scene

Question 10

Crime Scene

Answer 10

a place where a crime was committed

Question 11

Why is it important to know how a perpetrator entered and excited the crime scene ?

Answer 11

it is important because it can tell you how to document a crime scene and give you better clues on to what happened at the scene

Question 12

Chain of Custody

Answer 12

every item removed from the scene and taken to the laboratory must be identified in a way that guarantees its integrity

Question 12

Why is it important to maintain chain of custody?

Answer 12

chain of custody is so important because it assures to the court and anybody else that the evidence is authentic

Question 13

Entry

Answer 13

how the scene was entered

Question 14

Egress

Answer 14

exiting the scene

Question 15

Where do most forensic scientist work?

Answer 15

in crime labs

Question 16

Where else can forensic scientists work?

Answer 16

crime scene clean up, analysis worker, etc.

Question 17

Pattern Evidence

Answer 17

any markings produced when one object comes into contact with another object

Question 18

Class Characteristics

Answer 18

identifying trait shared by a group of similar objects

Question 19

Examples of Class Characteristics

Answer 19

identical tread patterns, same spacing of grooves/ridges, etc.

Question 20

Individual Characteristics

Answer 20

identifying trait unique to a specific object

Question 21

Examples of Individual Characteristics

Answer 21

imperfections, wear and tear, and embedded foreign objects

Question 22

How can you use class characteristics at a crime scene?

Answer 22

to narrow down the list of possible sources

Question 23

How can you use individual characteristics at a crime scene?

Answer 23

you can compare them to an exemplar

Question 24

Exemplar

Answer 24

a known sample

Question 25

What is an exemplar used for?

Answer 25

used to be compared with objects from a crime scene to make a conclusion

Question 26

Striations

Answer 26

lines made by surface imperfections

Question 27

How can you see striations?

Answer 27

with the eye or under microscope

Question 28

Identification Evidence Interpretation

Answer 28

sufficient data to match a pattern with a person or object

Question 29

Inconclusive Evidence Interpretation

Answer 29

not enough data to identify or exclude person/object

Question 30

Exclusion Evidence Interpretation

Answer 30

find sufficient differences between the known and the evidence to exclude person or object

Question 31

Macroscopic Examination

Answer 31

visible to the naked eye

Question 32

Microscopic Examination

Answer 32

requires the use of a microscope in order to view

Question 33

What can you learn from tire impressions?

Answer 33

- which vehicle - what direction - where the vehicle went - how fast the vehicle was going

Question 34

Wheelbase

Answer 34

front to back

Question 35

Track Width

Answer 35

right to left

Question 36

Examples of Corrobarative Evidence

Answer 36

photographs and videos