CJ Forensic Science Test #1 Ch. 1-7

Which entity maintains the largest crime lab in the world?

FBI

It is permitted for officers at the scene to alter temperature conditions by changing the position of windows or doors or adjusting the heat or air-conditioning.

False

It is the responsibility if the forensic investigator to determine innocence or guilt?

False

The boundaries of an indoor crime scene are usually more difficult to determine than an outdoor crime scene.

False

The first priority of the first officer responding to a crime scene is securing the crime scene.

False

The first responding officer at the crime scene should not make attempts to detain and question unauthorized personnel.

False

The known sequence of arrival of different insect groups CANNOT help to determine the postmortem interval.

False

The obligation to maintain the integrity of evidence belongs to the first police officer at the scene only.

False

Who undertook the first definitive study of fingerprints as a method personal identification?

Galton

a component of the national integrated ballistics information network is called:

IBIS

Locard's exchange principle

States that, when two objects come into contact with each other, a cross-transfer of materials occurs

Evidence can be found on the walls and ceiling as well as on the floor at a crime scene?

True

Failure to protect a crime scene properly may result in the destruction or altering of evidence.

True

Investigators should take an inventory of all evidence collected so nothing is lost or left behind.

True

Who devised a technique for determining the blood group of dried bloodstain, which he applied to criminal investigations?

Lattes

Who established the first workable crime laboratory?

Locard

Unauthorized personnel include friends and family of the victim.

True

substrate control

Uncontaminated surface material close to an area where physical evidence has been deposited

mobile crime laboratory

Vehicles that carry necessary supplies to protect crime scene and photograph,collect, and package physical evidence

buccal swap

a swab of the inner portion of the cheek, preformed to gather a couple cells for DNA profiling

What can be used in making an identification of a deceased individual?

all of the above -facial recognition -dental exam -fingerprinting

Which of the following indicators can be used to estimate the time of death?

all of the above -rigor mortis -livor mortis -eye fluid potassium levels

A logical reconstruction of crime-scene events can be created by using which of the following processes?

all of these -deductive reasoning -falsifiability -inductive reasoning

The physical evidence that can be used to aid in a crime-scene reconstruction includes which of the following?

all of these -glass fragments -GSR -bloodstains

objectivity

an attitude of professional detachment practiced by individuals to avoid personal biases or beliefs get in the way of an investigation

When biological samples of unknown origin are discovered at a crime scene, what should investigators do?

assume pathogens are present and treat the samples accordingly

Which measurement method would be best for documenting the position of evidence in a sketch of an outdoor crime scene?

baseline method

which one of the following is a correct evidence-collection procedure?

bloodstained garments should be packaged separately in paper bags

According to forensic entomologists, which "witness" is the first to arrive at the crime scene?

blowfly

Forensic science is the application of science to:

both civil and criminal laws.

common characteristics of victims of hanging are:

both petechiae on the eyelids and blue/purplish appearance

A body that displays a cherry-red discoloration might lead a pathologist to suspect what type of poisoning?

carbon monoxide

The likelihood of finding class physical evidence is ________ the likelihood of finding physical evidence with individual characteristics.

greater than

Physical evidence is considered to have _____ that of eyewitness (testimonial) evidence.

greater value than

What part of the victim's body often is covered in bags in order to prevent loss of trace evidence?

hands

Where are defense wounds most typically seen?

hands

When a forensic analyst determines the chemical composition of a preparation that may contain illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or barbiturates, this is an example of what?

identification

An event timeline will define each event that may have occurred at a crime scene:

in various probable orders within a known or estimated time frame

If the laboratory can piece together broken glass from a window or headlight, then the evidence has ________ characteristics.

individual

testimonial evidence

informational evidence gained from statements from witnesses, suspects, and others who have some knowledge of the crime scene

the most common methods of crime-scene recording do NOT include which of the following

infrared analysis

Crime-scene evidence should be included in reconstruction only if it meets which of the following criteria?

it has a confirmed chain of custody

Oblique lighting creates a shadowing effect in photographs of three-dimensional objects by placing the flash at what angle to the plane of view?

less than 45 percent

polygraph

lie detector

What is the name of 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?

line

An accurate _____ of everyone who enters or leaves the scene should be kept.

log

what feature of a digital camera's "night mode" allows the camera to gather as much light as possible to create the image?

low shutter speed

Which lens would be best suited to photographing the details of a small but detailed tool mark found at a crime scene?

macro lens

Homicide, suicide, accident, natural, and undetermined are all categories of what?

manner of death

Which of the following acts is permissible for officers at the scene?

none of these (smoke, eat, drink)

which statement about note taking is NOT true?

note taking id done after all crime-scene processing has been completed

what does hemoglobin transport in the blood?

oxygen

the collection of standard/ reference samples at the crime scene is important because they:

permit comparisons to be made with the evidence

Investigators must test the falsifiability of all plausible theories against what?

physical and testimonial evidence

The purpose of the crime-scene search is to locate what?

physical evidence

In digital photography, light is recored as a specific charge on millions of tiny what?

pixels

The _____ scene is the one at which the original incident occurred.

primary

individual characteristics

properties of evidence that can be attributed to a common source with an extremely high degree of certainty

The conditions at a crime scene can be compromised by all of the following actions except:

taking photographs at the crime scene

falsifiability

the ability for a theory to be disproved; the logical possibility for a theory to be tested and proved false

walk-through

the initial survey of the crime scene carried out by the lead investigator to gain an overview of the scene in order to formulate a plan for processing the scene

The size and location of the crime scene as well as the events that occurred there will determine:

the kind of search pattern that will be used to located evidence

Indentificaiton

the process of determining a substance physical or chemical identity

inductive reasoning

the process of reaching a conclusion that is probable but not definite based on known facts or premises

physical evidence can be used to exonerate or exclude a person from suspicion if:

the standard reference sample (i.e., control) from the person does not share characteristics with evidence at the crime scene

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences is the largest forensic science organization in the world

True

The areas searched by crime-scene investigators must include all probable points of entry and exit used by the criminal.

True

The principle of "general acceptance" comes from Frye v. United States

True

a properly maintained chain of custody is everyone's responsibility except which one of the following?

trial judge

Achieving identification requires that the number and type of tests needed to identify a substance be sufficient to exclude all other substances.

true

Contusion is another name for a bruise.

true

Each item of evidence should be analyzed and tested separately from all other evidence to avoid fallacy of false cause.

true

Individual characteristics are properties of evidence that can be attributed to a common source with an extremely high degree of certainty.

true

Investigators should seek to disprove a theory rather than prove one.

true

Objectivity is important in crime-scene reconstruction to prevent biases.

true

The forensic pathologist is aided by specialists including forensic anthropologists, forensic entomologists, and forensic odontologists.

true

The main weakness of testimonial evidence is that the testimony of witnesses is sometimes highly subjective and heavily biased.

true

The primary role of the medical examiner is to determine the cause and manner of death.

true

The value of class physical evidence lies in its ability to corroborate events with data in a manner that is, as nearly as possible, free of human error and bias.

true

aperture is the measure of the diameter of the diaphragm, which allows light into the camera

true

digital photography has higher resolution than film photography

true

petechiae is more common in strangulation case than in hanging cases?

true

pollen and spores can be used to provide links between a crime scene and a person or object

true

the higher the camera's f-number, the greater the depth of filed of its photos

true

the most important prerequisite for photography a crime scene is that the scene be in an unaltered condition

true

Crime-scene reconstructions have the best chance of accuracy if the investigators do which of the following?

use proper documentation and collection methods for all types of evidence

voiceprint

visual graphic display of sleep

What is the initial survey of the crime scene that is carried out by the lead investigator called?

walk-through

How must an evidence collector take care to avoid potentially contaminating objects of evidential value by transfer of DNA?

wearing a face mask

During a comparison analysis, a suspect specimen and a control specimen are subjected to the same tests and examinations for the ultimate purpose of determining what?

whether or not they have a common origin

Which search pattern would be best for a crime scene where many investigators are available to search a large area?

zone

how long does adipocere typically take to develop?

12 weeks

lividity can be expected to be fixed after how long?

16 hours

Who developed the system known as anthropometry?

Bertillion

a pathologist would expect rigor mortis to disappear after how long?

36 hours

Anthropometry

A systematic procedure that involves taking a series of body measurements as a means of distinguishing one individual from another

secondary scene

A crime scene separate from the primary scene that became part of the crime by its involvement in activities after the initial criminal act was perpetrated.

product rule

A formula for determining how frequently a certain combination of characteristics occurs in a population

Scientific method

A process that uses strict guidelines to ensure careful and systematic collection, organization, and analysis of information

Expert witness

An individual who the court has determined possesses a particular skill in or knowledge of a trade or profession that is not expected of the average layperson and that will aid a court in determining the truth of a matter at trial

direct physical evidence

An item of evidence from which an indisputable fact or detail of the events at the crime scene can be concluded

circumstantial evidence

An item of evidence that suggests the occurrence of one of several possible events at the crime scene

physical evidence

Any object that can establish that a crime has been committed or can link a crime and its victim or its perpetrator.

Forensic science

Application of science to the laws

The dramatization of forensic science on television has led to a phenomenon known as what?

CSI effect

druggist fold

Carefully folded paper used to package trace evidence

What judicial case set forth the most current guidelines for determining the admissibility of scientific examinations in federal court?

Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals

criminalistics

Describes the services of a crime laboratory

Who established the comparison microscope as the indispensable tool fo the modern firearms examiner?

Goddard

Who wrote the first treatise describing the application of science to the field of criminal investigation?

Gross

Who is known as the "father of forensic toxicology"?

Orfila

standard/ reference sample

Physical evidence whose origin is known, such as fibers or hair from a suspect, that can be compared to crime-scene evidence.

deductive reasoning

Process of drawing a definite conclusion based on known facts or premises

class characteristics

Properties of evidence that can be associated only with a group and never with a single source.

event timeline

The end product of crime-scene reconstruction that shows the possible sequence of occurrences at the crime scene and the known or estimated time period in which they took place.

contamination

The introduction of dangerous chemicals, disease, or infectious materials.

crime-scene reconstruction

The method used to support a likely sequence of events at a crime scene by the observation and evaluation of physical evidence and statements made by individuals involved with the incident.

reenactment

The process by which investigators attempt to re-create the circumstances surrounding a particular event at the crime scene in order to observe the result and gain information.

comparison

The process of ascertaining whether two or more objects have a common origin

The process of crime-scene reconstruction would not enlist the expertise of which of the following?

a criminal personality profiler

chain of custody

a list of all people who have come into procession of an item of evidence

line/strip search

a search method used by one or two investigators who walk in straight lines across the crime scene

command center

a secure site outside the boundaries of a crime scene where equipment is stored, tasks are assigned, and communication occurs

probability

frequency of occurrence of an event

death at a fire scene is most often attributed to inhalation of what?

carbon monoxide

crime-scene sketches serve a unique purpose in permanently documenting the location of which type of evidence?

collected and removed from the crime scene

When a paint chip found on a hit-and-run victim's garment is examined side-by-side with paint removed from a vehicle suspected of being involved in the incident, this is an example of what?

comparison

Putrefaction and autolysis are two types of _____ processes.

decomposition

Forensic databases are not maintained for which one of the following?

dental impressions

Small amounts of trace evidence can be conveniently packaged in a carefully folded paper package called what?

druggist fold

Evidence with class characteristics can do which of the following?

exonerate an innocent suspect

The camera's aperture is commonly adjusted on the SLR and DSLR cameras by adjusting what?

f-stop

Circumstantial evidence can provide a definite conclusion

false

Evidence without a confirmed chain of custody can still be included in reconstruction.

false

The pathologist typically does not perform a drug analysis unless a drug overdose is suspected.

false

the first pictures the crime-scene photographer takes are the close-up photographs

false

the higher the f-number, the wider the aperture, and the more light it allows in

false

Which of the following would not be included in the work of the biology unit of a crime lab?

fingerprint analysis

What can investigators use to show whether a theory of how an event occurred is physically possible and whether physical evidence is consistent with that theory?

reenactments

The number of pixels contained in a digital camera is directly related to the detail and sharpness of the image, which is called its what?

resolution

A _____________ is a draft representation of all essential information and measurements at a crime scene.

rough sketch

After providing medical assistance for the injured and arresting any suspects on the scene, the first officer should immediately:

secure the scene

which of the following should be performed first at death scene?

secure the scene

To determine the sex of skeletal remains, a forensic anthropologist would examine all of the following areas of the skeleton except which?

sternum

What are the characteristic markings on the skin caused by the discharge of a firearm called?

stippling and tattooing

Corroborative use of physical evidence is using it to do what?

support other investigative findings