forensic science exam 1
Gross
wrote about scientific principles in reference to forensic investigation
Bertillionage
"personal identification" system (outdated)
Parent stain
A bloodstain from which a satellite stain originated.
Impact spatter
A bloodstain pattern produced when an object makes forceful contact with a source of blood, projecting drops of blood outward from the source.
Arterial spray
A characteristic bloodstain pattern containing spurts that resulted from blood exiting under pressure from an arterial injury.
Gatekeeper
A judge who determines the applicability and validity of forensic evidence/ an expert witness.
Finished Sketch
A precise rendering of the crime scene, usually drawn to scale.
Rough Sketch
A sketch, drawn at the crime scene, that contains an accurate depiction of the dimensions of the scene and shows the location of all objects having a bearing on the case.
Document Examination
A specialized form of investigation that applies forensic chemistry, microscopy, light, and photography in making determinations about documents
Buccal swab
A swab of the inner portion of the cheek; cheek cells are usually collected to determine the DNA profile of an individual
Title Block
A table located in the bottom right-hand corner of a crime scene drawing that identifies, in an organized way, all of the necessary information that is not given on the drawing itself.
Biology/DNA
Analysis of body fluids and dried stains such as blood, semen, and saliva.
2nd Sin (width/length)
Angle of Impact formula
High velocity spatter
An impact spatter pattern created by a force traveling at 100 feet per second or faster and producing drops with diameters less than 1 millimeter.
Low velocity spatter
An impact spatter pattern created by a force traveling at 5 feet per second or less and producing drops with diameters greater than 3 millimeters.
Medium velocity spatter
An impact spatter pattern created by a force traveling at 5 to 25 feet per second and producing drops with diameters between 1 and 3 millimeters.
Physical evidence
Any object that can establish that a crime has been committed or can link a crime and its victim or its perpetrator.
Appendicular skeleton
Bones of the limbs
CODIS
Combined DNA Index System
Putrefaction
Decomposition of body tissues.
Locard's Exchange Principle
Every contact leaves a trace
First Instar
First-stage fly larvae that cannot penetrate skin and must subsist on liquid protein
Firearms
Guns and ammunition
Growth Plates
Human growth hormone causes bones to grow at these locations
IAFIS
Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System
Forensic pathologist
Medical doctor that primarily does autopsies and determines cause of death
NIBIN
National Integrated Ballistics Information Network
Axial skeleton
Portion of the skeletal system that consists of the skull, rib cage, and vertebral column
Second Instar
Second-stage fly larvae resulting from molting of first-star larvae that can penetrate skin by using proteolytic enzymes and the rasping action of their mouthparts
Forensic Odontology
Studying the remains of teeth and dental work for evidence to identify the victim or suspect
forensic science
The application of scientific knowledge to questions of civil and criminal law.
Forensic Anthropology
The branch of physical anthropology in which anthropological data, criteria, and techniques are used to determine the sex, age, genetic population, or parentage of skeletal or biological materials in questions of civil or criminal law
Algor mortis
The cooling of the body after death
Admissibility of Evidence
The legal requirements that must be met before a jury is allowed to see or hear evidence.
Livor mortis
The pooling of the blood in tissues after death resulting in a reddish color to the skin
Expirated
The presence of bubbles of oxygen in the drops can differentiate _____ blood from other types of bloodstains.
Skeletonization
The process by which the edges of a stain dry to the surface in a specific period of time (dependent on environmental and surface conditions); skeletonization remains apparent even after the rest of the bloodstain has been disturbed from its original position.
Forensic Entomology
The study of insects and their relation to a criminal investigation
Forensic Psychiatry
a branch of psychiatry having to do with the study of crime and criminality
Flow pattern
a change in the shape and direction of a bloodstain due to the influence of gravity or movement of the object
Latent Fingerprints
a hidden fingerprint made visible through the use of powders or other techniques
Polygraph
a machine, commonly used in attempts to detect lies, that measures several of the physiological responses accompanying emotion (such as perspiration and cardiovascular and breathing changes).
Drip tail pattern
a pattern of bloodstains formed by the dripping of blood off a moving surface or person in a recognizable pathway separate from other patterns
Expert Witness
a person who is permitted to testify at a trial because of special knowledge or proficiency in a particular field that is relevant to the case.
Voiceprint
a set of measurable characteristics of a human voice that uniquely identifies an individual
Area of Convergence
a two-dimensional view of the intersection of lines formed by drawing a line through the main axis of at least two drops of blood that indicates the general area of the source of the blood spatter
Substrate Control
an unstained object adjacent to an area on which biological material has been deposited
Back Spatter
blood directed back toward the source of energy or force that caused the spatter
Misting
blood that has been reduced to a fine spray as a result of the energy or force applied to it
Forward Spatter
blood that travels in the same direction as the source of energy or force that caused the spatter
Ossification
bone development
Forensic Engineering
concerned with failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and causes and origins of fires or explosions
Galton
conducted fingerprint studies
Cast off spatter
created when a blood-covered object flings blood in an arc onto a nearby surface
Subpubic angle
degree of angle formed under the pubis symphysis
Lattes
developed a procedure to determine blood type from dried bloodstains
Osborn
developed the fundamental principles of document examination
Evidence Collection
dispatches specially trained personnel to the crime scene to collect and preserve physical evidence
Forensic Toxicology
examination of all aspects of toxicology (the study of drugs and poisons that may have legal implications)
Bertillion
father of criminal identification (anthropometry)
Orfila
father of forensic toxicology, developed poison detection
Ilium
hip bone
Serology
identifying blood & body fluids
Locard
incorporated Gross' principles within a workable crime laboratory, "every contact leaves a trace"
Suture
interlocking line of union between bones
McCrone
leading figure in microscopy
Mandible
lower jaw bone
Manner of death
one of four means by which someone dies (i.e., natural, accidental, suicidal, or homicidal)
Bone remodeling
ongoing replacement of old bone tissue by new bone tissue
Standard/Reference Sample
physical evidence whose origin is known, such as blood or hair from a suspect, that can be compared to crime-scene evidence
Void Pattern
place w/o blood spatter due to an object in the way
Individual characteristics
properties of evidence that can be attributed to a common source with an extremely high degree of certainty
Class Characteristics
properties of evidence that can only be associated with a group and never with a single source
Directionality
relates to the direction a drop of blood traveled in space from its point of origin
Securing the Scene
responsibility of the first-responding police officer (first responder)
Autolysis
self-destruction of cells; decomposition of all tissues by enzymes of their own formation without microbial assistance
Trace Evidence
small but measurable amounts of physical or biological material found at a crime scene
Satellite Spatter
small droplets of blood distributed around a drop or pool of blood as a result of the blood hitting the target surface
Rigor Mortis
stiffness of the body that sets in several hours after death
Entomology
study of insects
Autopsy/Pathology
study of tissues and organs removed from a dead human body
Angle of Impact
the acute angle formed between the direction of a blood drop and the plane of the surface it strikes
Sciatic notch
the angled edge of both halves of the posterior (rear) side of the pelvis; measurement of this angle is used to determine sex in human skeletons.
Chain of Custody
the documented and unbroken transfer of evidence
Autopsy
the examination of a corpse to determine the cause of death
First Responding Officer
the first police officer to arrive at a crime scene
Cause of death
the immediate reason for a person's death (such as heart attack, kidney failure)
Area of Origin
the location of a blood source viewed in three dimensions as determined by projecting angles of impact of individual bloodstains
Transfer Pattern
the pattern created when a wet, bloody object comes in contact with a target surface, leaving a pattern, that has the features of the object making it useful for identifying the object
Cranium
the portion of the skull that encloses the brain
Criminalistics
the scientific examination of physical evidence for legal purposes
Postmortem interval
the time elapsed since a person has died.
CSI effect
there isn't always a smoking gun or absolute evidence
Femur
thigh bone
Humerus
upper arm bone
Maxilla
upper jaw bone
Goddard
used a microscope to determine whether a gun shot a bullet