Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Exam 3 > Physical Evidence > Flashcards

Physical Evidence Flashcards

0
Q

What is testimonial evidence?

A

Statement of a witness in court, usually under oath, and offered as evidence of stated truth - when reduced to writing cab be physical evidence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
1
Q

What are the three types of evidence?

A

Testimonial
Documentary
Physical

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is documentary evidence?

A

Evidence in a written rather than oral form (can become physical evidence)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is physical evidence?

A

Real Evidence, evidence in the form of material objects (weapons, tool,fingerprints)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is more reliable out of the three?

A

Physical evidence is more reliable than eyewitness testimony

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the characteristics of physical evidence?

A 
Can be any object, no matter how small
real 
tangible
has form and mass
can be either visible or invisible
may require processing to become useful
helps reconstruct the crime scene
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Physical evidence does what to the case?

A

helps establish elements in the crime, reconstructs the crime or crime scene, associate or disassociates defendants w/crimes, can corroborate or disprove statements, and can establish venue

and it corroborates eyewitness testimony and juries have come to expect physical evidence in criminal cases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are principle of interchange?

A

every contact leaves its trace

Ex. Blood, Hair, fibers, fingerprints

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the evidence triangle?

A

through physical evidence, establishes a link between the various facets of the crime scene, the victim, and the suspect. All of these are needed for a successful relationship

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is class characteristics?

A

Proprieties of evidence where the features or characteristics are not unique for that item, but which are shared by other items of the same class (general)

class evidence cannot positively link an individual to a crime, but w/several pieces of circumstances or class evidence you may be able to tie the suspect to the crime

examples flat tip screw driver, tire iron, fibers, paints, tires, shoes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are individual characteristics?

A

Is is a feature, even among members of the same class, resulting from nature, accidental, accidental or chance occurrences, wear and tear, use and abuse, which demonstrates uniqueness or individuality

Examples Fingerprints, tire tracks, irregular edges of broken or torn objects, firearms, spent rounds, tool marks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are comparison standards?

A

Those items of physical evidence recovered from a known source & subjected to the same laboratory analysis as the items recovered from an unknown source to find out if they have a common origin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are example of known sources?

A

broken glass from a window frame, test bullet, handwriting exemplars, clothing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are some example of unknown sources?

A

Glass recovered from the suspect vehicle or clothing, bullet removed from a crime scene or a victim, fibers left at crime scene or on victim

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the methods of measurement?

A
  1. Base Line Method
  2. Rectangular Coordinator Method
  3. Triangulation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is base line method?

A

Generally used to locate items along a wall - basic measurement to help establish the dimensions of an area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

WHat is rectangular coordinate method?

A

used to locate items off a base line - 2 measurements are taken, one along the base line and one at a right angle from the pbject to the base line

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is triangulation?

A

uses to fixed reference points, such as corners of rooms, light poles, ect - take a measurement from each fixed point to a specific point on the item

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the proper methods of evidence documentation?

A

Rough notes, photographs, sketches, and methods of measurements

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What do sketches provide?

A

a 2 dimension record of the crime and or search scene (also shows distance, location)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What do photographs provide?

A

it provides triers of fact with visual representation of scene as you saw it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the basic stages to the crime scene search?

A

Preparation, approach to the scene, and basic premises

22
Q

When approaching the scene what is the first priority?

A

Officer safety

23
Q

What are the two basic search approaches?

A

Cautious and Vigorous

24
Q

What consists of a cautious search?

A

Cautious search of the visible areas, taking steps to avoid evidence loss or contamination

25
Q

What consists of a vigorous search?

A

searching hidden and concealed areas

26
Q

What are the different types of search patterns?

A
  1. Strip or lane search method
  2. grid search
  3. zone or sector search
  4. spiral or circular search
  5. clockwise-counter clockwise- inside
27
Q

What is the goal of collecting evidence?

A

preserve evidence to protect it from change

28
Q

What must be done when collecting fragile evidence?

A

must be collected first as it can easily be destroyed by personnel, changing environment or other conditions

29
Q

What are the three types of impressions?

A

True (Latent)
Plastic
Patent

30
Q

What are friction ridge impressions?

A

Fingerprint, palm print, and barefoot impressions

31
Q

What is the Basic Premise of Collecting evidence?

A
  • Record collected evidence
  • Preserve the evidence
  • conduct a final survey
  • release crime scene
32
Q

How do you conduct a final survey?

A

discuss search jointly with all personnel for completeness, double check documentation, check all to ensure all Evidence is accounted for

33
Q

How do you release a crime scene?

A

release is accomplished only after completion of the final survey

34
Q

What is the process for establishing and maintaining a chain of custody document?

A
  • chain of custody begins when it is found
  • forms of records movement of the evidence
  • essential to the admissibility of an item of evidence in judicial proceedings
  • consider the need to mark each item for ID purposes, do not destroy value
  • complete evidence label, should contain same info as chain of custody log
  • seal the items packaging/container in the proper manner, initial should run across the sealing tape and onto the packaging to show that the seals are not tampered with
  • enter the item on the chain of custody when found, ensuring that the item # is the same as entered on the evidence log, placed on the item and on the sketch if one is drawn
  • properly record the chain of custody info at every stage of evidence handling or transfer from one person to another and document the reason for transfer
  • Limit the # of personnel who are involved in the movement of the evidence
  • store the items in a secured vault or special room w/limited access
35
Q

What are components of of documents available to the investigator?

A

Paper
Ink
Writing Instrument

36
Q

Define what Paper is as a component of documents?

A
  • Composition
  • watermarks
  • USSS maintains a record of 20,000 watermarks
  • Companies alter watermarks every 1 to 2 years
  • Inclusions are referred to as fibers that are put into the paper during the manufacturing process
37
Q

Watermarks come in 3 types. What are they?

A

Stamped, Chemical, and pressed

38
Q

What is a questioned document?

A

document that has been questioned in whole or part with respect to its authenticity, origin, history, or the relations among its parts or with regard to its relation to other things

39
Q

How do you properly preserve a questioned document?

A
  • preserve the document as you found it
  • do not fold, crease, staple, or pierce the document
  • Guard against adding indented writing to the document
  • when necessary to mark, use a marking medium different from that of the document
40
Q

Define what Ink is as a component of documents?

A
  • Different types, can determine year manufactured and chemical components
  • a lab can determine the age of the ink
  • USSS has the world’s largest ink library
41
Q

Define what Writing Instruments is as a component of documents?

A

BAll point pen, pencil, typewriter, crayons, markers, copying machines, adding machines, ect

42
Q

What are some common errors in identifying procedures for requesting laboratory analysis of evidence?

A
  1. Lack of organization and communication between team members
  2. improper protection of the scene
  3. Using improper search techniques
  4. failure to investigate beyond the immediate scene
  5. improper handling, collection and packaging of evidentiary items
  6. jumping to conclusions
  7. failure to restrict your info, evidence, ect
  8. minimal documentation
43
Q

What are procedures for requesting laboratory analysis of evidence?

A

Take precautions to preserve the evidence

Letter of transmittal

44
Q

What is an exemplar?

A

Both requested and non-requested) samples of handwriting printed text, ink, ect know to have been produced by a particular individual, machine, or manufacturer

45
Q

True or false. The 5th Amendment offers no protection against compulsion to submit a handwriting sample.

A

True

46
Q

What is a request (dictated) exemplar?

A

Executed at the request and in the presence of the investigator under controlled conditions

47
Q

What are the advantages to taking writing exemplars?

A
  1. investigator can control the amount and nature of the writings
  2. Investigator can more closely duplicate the content of the questioned writing or writings
  3. Time and cost factors can be better controlled and admissibility in court usually not a factor
48
Q

What are disadvantages of taking handwriting exemplars?

A
  1. subject may try to disguise his handwriting

2. possible lapse of time between the taking of exemplars and the actual time of the violation

49
Q

What are non-request exemplars?

A

Fingerprint cards, cancelled checks, ect
they are examples of an individuals writings that exist as the result of normal day to day business and personal transactions conducted over a period of time

50
Q

What are advantages of non-request exemplars?

A
  1. Free of disguise
  2. more closely approximate the individuals true handwriting
  3. easily obtained even if the investigator does not want to confront the subject
51
Q

what are disadvantages of non-request exemplars?

A
  1. Time consuming
  2. could be costly
  3. may be hard to authenticate and therefore may not be admissible in court
  4. Possibility of forgery
52
Q

What are the procedures for transmitting documents to laboratory for analysis?

A
  1. Original text if it is Available
  2. submit letter of transmittal
  3. properly protect and package the documents
  4. when requesting handwriting examinations, consider requesting latent print examination as well

Exam 3 (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions