Forensics and Investigations Exam 1

In which of the following types of crimes is tool marks most commonly found? A. Burglary B. Robbery C. Assault D. None of the answers is correct.

A. Burglary

Which of the following should be used to collect fresh blood evidence at a crime scene? A. Clean cotton cloth B. Paper C. Tape D. All of the answers are correct.

A. Clean cotton cloth

T/F: Forensic science draws from diverse disciplines, such as geology, physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics, to study physical evidence related to crime.

True

T/F: Formally charging a suspect with a crime does not automatically flow from an arrest.

True

T/F: Interrogation by an investigator must stop after a suspect requests counsel.

True

T/F: Latent prints are created when the small amounts of body perspiration and oil that are normally found on the ridges are deposited on surfaces that are touched.

True

T/F: Misdemeanors are lesser offenses that may be punishable by a fine, ordinarily not to exceed $500, and/or imprisonment for no more than one year.

True

T/F: Probable cause is a difficult term to define because in no two instances are circumstances identical.

True

T/F: The Metropolitan Police headquarters came to be known as "Scotland Yard" because the building formerly had housed Scottish royalty.

True

T/F: The preferred method of effecting an arrest is under the authority of a warrant.

True

T/F: The primary crime scene is the location where the initial offense was committed, whereas the locations of all subsequent connected events are secondary scenes.

True

T/F: Usually, paint is class-characteristic evidence, although in some cases it reaches the level of individual evidence.

True

T/F: When Prohibition was repealed by the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1933, many former bootleggers turned to bank robbery and kidnapping.

True

When analyzing blood evidence, the more elliptical the stain, the more _____________ the angle of impact.

acute

The textbook refers to five major forensic mapping methods. These include: rectangular coordinates, triangulation, ______________________, polar coordinates, and the grid system.

baseline coordinates

Blood stains, known as _______________________, may take many forms at a crime scene and are produced by such factors as the type, location, and number of wounds inflicted.

blood splatter

The ______________ is the diameter of a bullet, whereas the bore is the diameter of a barrel's interior between its opposing high sides, or lands.

caliber

A basic diagram of the scene showing important points, such as the locations where various pieces of physical evidence were located is the ____________________.

crime scene sketch

A list of each item of evidence; the names of the collector and witnesses; and the location, date, and time of the collection are contained in the ____________________ log and in the lifted prints log.

evidence recovery

Which of the following statements is true about substantive criminal law? A. It deals with those elements that describe and define a crime. B. It involves understanding how things need to be done with the people involved in an investigation, be it a victim, a witness, an informant, or a suspect. C. It defines what can and cannot be done with, or to, people. D. It changes much more rapidly than procedural criminal law.

A. It deals with those elements that describe and define a crime

In which case did the U.S. Supreme Court emphatically state that once a suspect has invoked the right to remain silent, interrogation must terminate? A) Michigan v. Mosley B) United States v. Lee C) Manson v. Braithwaite D) Miranda v. Arizona

A. Michigan v. Mosley

In 1833, _____ passed an ordinance creating America's first paid, daylight police force. A. Philadelphia B. Chicago C. New York City D. Baltimore

A. Philadelphia

Which of the following constitutional guarantees is addressed in the Escobedo and Miranda cases? A) Right to counsel and self-incrimination B) Right-to-confrontation and cross-examination C) Double jeopardy and trial by jury D) Fair trial and free press

A. Right to counsel and self-incrimination

Any impression, cut, gouge, or abrasion made when a tool comes into contact with another object, for forensic purposes, is _____. A. a tool mark B. an element of burglary C. the modus operandi of the suspect D. possibly any of the preceding depending on the circumstances of the case

A. a tool mark

A judicial order commanding a person to whom it is issued or some other person to bring a person promptly before a court to answer a criminal charge is: A. an arrest warrant. B. an affidavit. C. a court order. D. All of the answers are correct.

A. an arrest warrent

The polygraph measures: A) cardiovascular changes, respiratory changes, and changes in skin resistance. B) cardiovascular changes, respiratory changes, and aerobic changes. C) respiratory changes, changes in skin resistance, and aerobic changes. D) rapid changes in eye movement.

A. cardiovascular changes, respiratory changes, and changes in skin resistance

What was the original mission of the Secret Service when created by Congress in 1865? A. combat counterfeiting B. providing protection for the President C. preventing drug importation into the country D. All of the above

A. combat counterfeiting

When conducting an interrogation, the interrogator should: A) ensure that few or no objects are present between them and the suspect. B) talk loudly and rudely to the suspect. C) ask leading questions to get the suspect to confess. D) All of the answers are correct.

A. ensure that few or no objects are present between them and the suspect

The ingredients of an arrest include all of the following except _____. A. force B. intention C. authority D. custody

A. force

In the context of laboratory determinations of firearm evidence, the term "_____" refers to the low side of a gun barrel's interior. A. groove B. caliber C. bore D. land

A. groove

A fracture match occurs when: A. it is established that two or more pieces were formerly co-joined. B. multiple items are compared to each other. C. multiple items share the same chemical consistency. D. None of the answers is correct.

A. it is established that two or more pieces were formerly co-joined

Which of the following crime scene search patterns is usually employed in outdoor scenes and is normally executed by a single person? A. Spiral B. Strip/line C. Grid D. Zone/quadrant

A. spiral

The first modern detective force was: A. the Bow Street Runners. B. established by the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829. C. created by Patrick Colquhoun. D. the London Metropolitan Police.

A. the Bow Street Runners

All crime scenes are searched on the basis of Locard's _________________________, which asserts that when perpetrators come into contact with the scene, they will leave something of themselves and take away something from the scene.

exchange principle

Terry v. Ohio allows for the _________________ of the outer clothing of a suspect for a weapon if the officer is concerned about his own safety.

frisk

The _______________________ doctrine provides that evidence obtained from an unreasonable search and seizure cannot be used as the basis for learning about or collecting new admissible evidence not known about before.

fruits of the poisonous tree

A(n) _____________ is designed to match acquired information to a particular suspect in order to secure a confession.

interrogation

The 1992 palo verde seedpod case is significant because it: A. excluded case evidence because of police misuse of plant pathology procedures. B. involved the use of plant DNA in a criminal case. C. established the scientific basis for identifying suspects from their fingerprints on flora. D. None of the above.

B involved the use of plant DNA in a criminal case

Many victims are bitten during an attack. What is the primary significance of a bite mark to the investigator? A. Can provide the M.O. of the perpetrator B. Can provide sites for DNA collection of saliva from the suspect, which can lead to the identification of the suspect C. Can aid in deciding what charges to apply when the suspect is arrested D. Can aid in determining whether or not the suspect should be charged as a sexual criminal

B. Can provide sites for DNA collection of saliva from the suspect, which can lead to the identification of the suspect

Which of the following terms is defined as a systematic approach to interviewing residents, merchants, and others who were in the immediate vicinity of a crime and may have useful information? A. Cross-examination B. Neighborhood canvass C. Redirect examination D. Vehicle canvass

B. Neighborhood canvass

Which city was the first to create a unified police force in the United States? A. New Orleans B. New York C. Baltimore D. Philadelphia

B. New York

A warrant to search must be based upon _____. A. reasonable suspicion B. probable cause C. preponderance of the evidence D. proof beyond a reasonable doubt

B. Probable Cause

________ is defined as suspicion plus facts and circumstances that would lead a reasonable person exercising ordinary caution to believe that a crime has been, is being, or is about to be committed. A. In-presence arrest B. Probable cause C. Investigative detention D. The requirements of an arrest warrant

B. Probable cause

Which of the following is a step involved in a preliminary investigation? A. Reviewing the offense/incident report B. Securing the crime scene and evidence C. Re-interviewing the witnesses D. All of the answers are correct.

B. Securing the crime scene and evidence

The landmark Supreme Court ruling that allows stop and frisk procedures is _____. A. Miranda v. Arizona B. Terry v. Ohio C. Mapp v. Ohio D. Escobedo v. Day

B. Terry v. Ohio

_______ is a temporary and limited interference with the freedom of a person for investigative purposes. A. An arrest B. A detention C. An affidavit D. Charging

B. a detention

If there is a chance the victim may die, the investigator should always get _____. A. the name of the suspect B. a dying declaration C. the address of the victim D. victim's next of kin

B. a dying declaration

A written statement of the information known to the officer that serves as the basis for the issuance of a warrant is: A. an arrest warrant. B. an affidavit. C. a court order. D. All of the answers are correct.

B. an affidavit

__________________________________ refers to the measurable and automated physiological or behavioral characteristics that can be used to verify the identity of an individual.

Biometrics

A(n) ___________________ must particularly describe the place to be searched. Although the Constitution does not define "particularly," the description must be sufficient to distinguish the place from all others.

search warrant

For forensic purposes, a(n) _________________ is any impression, cut, gouge, or abrasion made when a tool comes into contact with another object.

tool mark

The reluctance of victims to report incidents to the police or to assist in the prosecution of offenders may be the result of ____________________, or the belief that the criminals might retaliate against them for cooperating with police.

witness intimidation

An early method of criminal identification was based on the thought that every human being differs from every other one in the exact measurements of their body. Also, the sum of those measurements was thought to yield a characteristic formula for each individual. What was this method of criminal identification? A. Dactylography B. Ectomorphism C. Anthropometry D. Accutron

C. Anthropometry

The Harrison Act of 1914 made the distribution of nonmedical drugs a crime. The agency currently charged with enforcing its provisions is the _____. A. Federal Bureau of Investigations B. Narcotics Bureau C. Drug Enforcement Administration D. Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs

C. Drug Enforcement Administration

_____ has been defined as the intersection of dentistry and criminal laws. A. Forensic podiatry B. Forensic optometry C. Forensic odontology D. Forensic limnology

C. Forensic odontology

Which search pattern has the searchers doubling back perpendicularly across the area being examined? A. Spiral B. Strip/line C. Grid D. Zone/quadrant

C. Grid

Which of the following cases established the rule that any evidence unreasonably searched and seized could no longer be admissible in any court? A. Weeks v. Ohio B. Roe v. Wade C. Mapp v. Ohio D. Gideon v. Wainwright

C. Mapp v. Ohio

In which of the following types of crimes is a rope, cord, string, and tape more likely to be found? A. Car theft B. Extortion C. Sexual assault D. None of the answers is correct.

C. Sexual assault

In which Amendment of the Bill of Rights is the due process clause found? A. The First Amendment B. The Fourth Amendment C. The Fifth Amendment D. The Tenth Amendment

C. The Fifth Amendment

The direction of a shot through a glass window can be determined by _____. A. concentric cracks B. radial cracks C. a cone-shaped area on the opposite side from impact D. All of the answers are correct.

C. a cone-shaped area on the opposite side from impact

The term ________ refers to a witness's personal qualifications for testifying in court. A) credibility B) trustworthiness C) competency D) intelligence

C. competency

The three most common findings by a polygraph examiner are: A) lying, truthful, and unsure. B) deceptive, truthful, and unsure. C) deception indicated, no deception indicated, and inconclusive. D) deception indicated, truth indicated, and inconclusive.

C. deception indicated, no deception indicated, and inconclusive

Identify a true statement about touch DNA. It: A. helps determine how an object was used. B. analysis of it is only successful in 5 percent of all cases. C. does not leave a visible residue. D. cannot be accumulated.

C. does not leave a visible residue

During 1961-1966, the U.S. Supreme Court became unusually active in hearing cases involving the rights of criminal suspects and defendants. This period is referred to as the _____. A. radical court era B. leftist court decisions C. due process revolution D. ex-post facto period

C. due process revolution

Which of the following is one of the best practices to be followed when interviewing individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing? A) Refraining from conversing in a well-lit area B) Refraining from using gestures such as a tap on the shoulder to gain attention before speaking C) Facing the person and not turning away while speaking to him or her D) Assuming that a person can hear you well if he or she is wearing a hearing aid

C. facing the person and not turning away while speaking to him or her

As a rule, cold, sleepy, hungry, or physically uncomfortable, or intoxicated people prove to be: A) highly satisfactory witnesses because of the pressure an interviewer is able to put them under. B) somewhat satisfactory witnesses. C) unsatisfactory witnesses. D) impossible to interview.

C. unsatisfactory witnesses

________________________ are those in which innocent but vulnerable suspects confess and come to believe they committed the crime in question.

Coerced-internalized false confessions

_____________________________ is defined as a written chronological record of all persons who enter and leave the crime scene and the times they do so, along with their reason for entering.

Crime scene entry sheet

Which of the following factors influences a person's ability to give a complete account of an event or to identify people accurately? A) The significance or insignificance of the event B) The length of the period of observation C) Lack of ideal conditions D) All of the answers are correct.

D. All of the answers are correct

Which of the following is a right contained in the Miranda decision? A) The right to remain silent B) The right to be told that anything the suspect says can and will be used against him or her in court C) The right to consult with an attorney prior to answering any questions and to have an attorney present during interrogation D) All of the answers are correct.

D. All of the answers are correct

Which of the following is not a determination that can be made from a cartridge case? A. Marks made on the cartridge case as it is loaded into the chamber for firing B. A pin impression made on the base of the cartridge case, which is caused by the firing of the weapon C. Striations made when expanding gases force the cartridge case against the chamber wall and marks left by the same gases when they force the cartridge case back against the breach D. Bullet residue from the fired bullet that is "shaved" off as it exits the gun barrel

D. Bullet residue from the fired bullet that is "shaved" off as it exits the gun barrel

Which of the following is the best form of documenting an interview? A) Reliance on the investigator's memory B) Reliance on notes taken by the investigator C) A handwritten and signed statement prepared by the witness D) Electronic sound recording or sound-and-visual recording

D. Electronic sound recording or sound-and-visual recording

Procedural law deals with all of the following except _____. A. process of arrest B. admissibility of evidence C. search and seizure D. elements of a crime

D. Elements of a crime

Which of the following is not a requirement for a plain view search to be legal? A. Officer is where he has a legal right to be. B. Evidence is in plain view. C. Evidence is inadvertently discovered. D. Evidence is found after a limited search.

D. Evidence is found after a limited search

Which of the following characteristics can be identified as originating from a particular person or source? A. Class B. Primary C. Latent D. Individual

D. Individual

Which of the following is a major fingerprint pattern? A. Double central B. Looped arch C. Depressed loop D. Plain whorl

D. Plain whorl

The actions taken by the first officer to arrive at the scene of a crime after its detection and reporting are collectively termed the "_____." A. essential part of police work B. follow-up investigation C. cold search D. preliminary investigation

D. Preliminary investigation

Which of the following protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures? A. The First Amendment B. The Fifth Amendment C. The Eighth Amendment D. The Fourth Amendment

D. The Fourth Amendment

T/F: Blank warrants are constitutionally valid

False

T/F: Characteristics of physical evidence that are common to a group of objects or persons are termed individual characteristics, whereas class characteristics can be identified, with a high degree of probability, as originating with a particular person or source.

False

T/F: Crime scene coordination includes interviewing witnesses, conducting and documenting the neighborhood canvass, and a field interrogation of the suspect if he/she is in custody.

False

T/F: Currently, the age of a person of interest in a case can be determined by phenotyping

False

T/F: Edmond Benet produced the portrait parlé or "speaking picture," which combines full-face and profile photographs of each criminal with his or her exact body measurements and other descriptive data onto a single card.

False

T/F: In interviewing, establishing rapport with the person to be questioned is important, but its importance wanes when interrogating a suspect.

False

T/F: Miranda warnings must always precede routine booking questions that are asked in order to obtain personal-history data necessary to complete the booking process.

False

T/F: The time it takes for touch DNA to be deposited is constant.

False

________________________ laws allow the police to record without informing the suspects.

One-party consent

The major private detective agency of the 19th century was formed by _______________.

Pinkerton

Once witnesses have been identified, they should be separated from one another and, as much as possible, isolated from other people who may be nearby. Why? A) To prevent witnesses from seeing or hearing irrelevant matters that may taint their actual knowledge B) To prevent witnesses from leaving the area before they have been released by the police investigator C) To prevent outsiders from hearing what witnesses tell the police D) All of the answers are correct.

A. to prevent witnesses from seeing or hearing irrelevant matters that may taint their actual knowledge

After interviewing the victim of a crime and two witnesses and examining the crime scene and the physical evidence, you use all of this information as a basis for developing a unifying and internally consistent explanation of the event. You have _____. A. used inductive reasoning B. committed Locard's Fallacy C. used deductive reasoning D. proceeded in an unobjective manner

A. used inductive reasoning

Which of the following would constitute a basis for assigning a "cleared by exceptional means" classification to a case? A. The suspect is known to the police, but they can't find him/her to serve a warrant. B. The suspect is in custody, but invokes his/her rights under the Miranda ruling after being formally charged. C. The suspect attends the local college as an exchange student. D. The suspect is known to the police, but the victim refuses to cooperate with the prosecution.

D. The suspect is known to the police, but the victim refuses to cooperate with the prosecution

A _____ is a basic diagram of the scene showing important points, such as the locations where various pieces of physical evidence were located. A. forensic map B. strip search C. coordinate D. crime scene sketch

D. crime scene sketch

A(n) _____ is the police effort expended after the initial incident report is completed until the case is ready for prosecution. A. advanced investigation B. cold investigation C. collateral investigation D. follow-up investigation

D. follow-up investigation

The rule of _____ requires that standard samples and elimination prints always be obtained when appropriate. A. caution B. conceptualization C. acceptance D. inclusiveness

D. inclusiveness

_______________________efforts led to the establishment of the London Metropolitan Police in 1829.

Sir Robert Peele's

T/F: After Prohibition was adopted nationally in 1920, the Bureau of Internal Revenue was responsible for its enforcement.

True

T/F: At a crime scene, if there are no satisfactory options in causing or allowing the contamination or destruction of evidence, saving the victim's life has a higher value than preserving physical evidence.

True

T/F: Cord and rope have essentially the same characteristics as string, and all have some characteristics of fibers.

True

T/F: Elimination prints are useful in determining whether a latent fingerprint found at a crime scene belongs to the suspect.

True

T/F: Eyewitness testimony is heavily used in criminal proceedings but research has found it to be very unreliable.

True