week 2 Flashcards
(20 cards)
The {________} process determine’s a substance’s physical or chemical identity with as near absolute certainty as existing analytical techniques will permit.
identification
The number and type of tests needed to identify a substance must be sufficient to {________} all other substances from consideration.
eliminate
A {________} analysis subjects a suspect specimen and a standard/reference specimen to the same tests and examination in order to determine whether they have a common origin.
comparison
{________} is the frequency of occurrence of an event.
Probability
Evidence that can be traced to a common source with an extremely high degree of probability is said to possess {________} characteristics.
individual
Evidence associated with a group and not with a single source is said to posses {________} characteristic.
class
T/F : One of the major deficiencies of forensic science is the inability of the examiner to assign exact or approximate probability values to the comparison of most class physical evidence
true
The value of class physical evidence lies in its ability to {________} events with data in a manner that is, as nearly as possible, free of human error and bias.
corroborate
The {________} accorded physical evidence during a trial is left entirely to the trier of fact.
weight significance
Although databases are consistently updated so that scientists can assign probabilities to class evidence, for the most part, forensic scientists must rely on {________} when interpreting the significance of class physical evidence,
personal experience
The believability of {________} accounts, confessions, and informant testimony can all be disputed , maligned, and subjected to severe attack and skepticism in the courtroom.
eye witness
T/F : Physical evidence cannot be used to exclude to exonerate a person from suspicion of committing a crime.
False
T/F : The distinction between individual and class evidence is always easy to make.
False
T/F : Given the potential weight if scientific evidence in a trial setting, failure to take proper safeguards may unfairly prejudice a case against the suspect.
True
Students studying forensic science must be cautioned that merely reading relevant textbooks and journals is no substitute for {________} in this most practical of sciences
experience
Modern analytical techniques have become so sensitive that the forensic examiner must be aware of the {________} among materials when interpreting the significance of comparative data.
natural variations
T/F : A fingerprint can be positively identified through the IAFIS database.
False
A database applicable to DNA profiling is {________}.
codis
The {________} database allows firearms analysts to compare markings made by firearms on bullets that have been recovered from crime scenes.
NIBIN
The {________} database contains chemical and color information pertaining to original automotive paints.
pdq
