Forensics Final Exam

The Innocence Project at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law was created by Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld in 1992. Its purpose was to reexamine post-conviction cases (individuals convicted and in prison) using:

A DNA evidence to provide conclusive proof of innocence.

Direct evidence includes

A. First hand observations such as eye witness accounts

Whether observing at a crime scene or examining collected evidence in the laboratory, the forensic examiner must be able to:

A. an eyewitness.

An interesting aspect of our perception is that we:

A. believe what we see and hear, even though our ability to be accurate is flawed.

One of the most important tools of the forensic investigator is the ability to:

A. observe, interpret and report observations clearly.

The verbal testimony of a forensic scientist alone may not be entered into evidence without:

A. the proper documentation.

Paul Ekman's early research led to a major discovery that changed how scientists view human expression. He found that our expressions are:

B. biologically programmed.

To ensure all evidence is found, a crime scene is often laid out in a:

B. grid.

Forensic science is strictly concerned with uncovering evidence that:

B. of the month.

A psychologist who has spent the last 50 years studying faces, Paul Ekman is a leading expert on:

C. facial analysis and deception.

When evaluating eyewitness testimony, the investigator must discriminate between fact and:

C. opinion

Criminal investigations depend on the observation skills of all involved. Those involved include:

D All of these choices.

Perception

D All of these choices.

Eyewitness accounts of crime-scene events vary considerably from one person to another. What you observe depends on your level of:

D. All of these choices.

Whether observing at a crime scene or examining collected evidence in the laboratory, the forensic examiner must be able to:

D. None of these choices.

Forensic derives from the Latin word, forensis, which means:

D. of the forum.

A fact is a statement or assertion of information that can be verified.

True

Our emotional state influences our ability to see and hear what is happening around us.

True

Through our senses of sight, taste, hearing, smell, and touch, we gather information every single moment about what is around us.

True

What we perceive about persons depends, in part, on their mannerisms and gestures.

True

...

a

Class evidence narrows an identity to

a. A group of persons or things

The forensics lab processes all of the evidence of the crime scene investigation collected to determine the

a. Facts of the case

A type of fibrous protein that makes up the majority of the cortex of hair is

a. Keratin

The crime scene investigation team is made up of

a. Legal and scientific professionals who work together to solve a crime

The first to arrive at a crime scene are usually

a. Police officers

Hair can adhere to clothes carpets and many other surfaces and b transferred to the other locations is called

a. Secondary transfer

crime scene reconstruction involves forming a hypothesis of the sequence of events from before the crime was commuted

a. Through it's commission

Where never two people come in contact with each other, a physical transfer occurs. To a forensic examiners, these transferred materials constitute what is called

a. Trace evidence

Investigators recognized the importance of analysis of hair as

a. Trace evidence in criminal investigations in late 1800s

Securing the crime scene is the responsibility of the first responding

a.police officer

...

b

All evidence needs to be probably package, sealed and labeled. Liquids and arson remains are stored in

b. airtight unbearable container

Medical examiners are also called

b. coroners

Circumstantial evidence is

b. indirect evidence that can be used to imply a fact. But does not directly prove it

The region of a hair located outside of the medulla containing granules of pigment are called

b. the cortex

...

c

Hair is considered

c. Class evidence

A classic 1883 text of forensic science. The Principles and Practice of Medical Jurisprudence by Alfred Swaine Taylor and Thomas Stevenson contains a chapter

c. Hair in forensic investigations

...

d

Specialists at a crime scene include

d. All of these choice

Trace evidence is a type of circumstantial evidence, examples of which include

d. All of these choice

The goal of the crime investigation is to

d. All of these choices

Crime scene investigators include

d. All of these choices (data recorders, sketch artists, photographers)

A crime scene investigator usually does not have to obtain a degree in Crime Scene Investigation through either a college degree program or a certification program.

false

Fungi, such as mold, Baker's yeast, and mushrooms produce almost no spores.

false

Polyester has properties similar to nylon except it is easily broken down by light and concentrated acid.

false

Synthetic polymer fibers, which all originate with petroleum products, are cellulose-based fibers.

false

The cuticle is a transparent inner layer of the hair shaft

false

The hair shaft is made up of three layers: an outer medulla, a cortex, and an inner cuticle.

false

When environmental conditions are harsh, some bacteria form thick-walled, resistant spores, called ectospores.

false

A disadvantage of synthetic fibers is that they can deteriorate in bright sunlight and melt at a lower temperature than natural fibers.

true

A hair consists of two parts: a follicle and a shaft

true

A kind of evidence that identifies a particular person or thing is called individual evidence.

true

An evidence log and a chain of custody must be attached to the evidence container.

true

Animal-pollinated plants have fragrant or showy flowers to attract the animals.

true

Bits of pigment found in the cortex of a hair is called melanin granules.

true

Detectives look for leads by interviewing witnesses and talking to the crime scene investigators about the evidence.

true

Evidence that (if true) proves an alleged fact is called direct evidence.

true

Fibers are woven into textiles or fabrics.

true

In humans, the cortex is the largest part of the hair shaft.

true

Pollen can be carried by wind, animals, or water.

true

The first task of forensic scientists is to find, examine, and evaluate evidence from a crime scene.

true

The hard outer layer, or shell, of a pollen grain or spore is called an exine.

true

The most common type of regenerated fiber, which is derived from celulose and is mostly plant in origin, is rayon.

true