Forensics Unit 1 Study Questions

What is forensic science?

The application of science to the areas of criminal, civil, and administrative law.

What is Criminology?

The scientific study of crime, criminal behavior, and society’s response to it.

What is criminal law?

The body of law that defines criminal defenses, investigations, and set punishments.

What is Civil Law?

Regulates non-criminal legal relationships between individuals.

What is an infraction?

The breaking or violating of a rule, law, agreement, or regulation.

What is a misdemeanor?

A criminal offense that is more serious than an infraction, but less than a felony.

What is a felony?

A sever criminal offense that is punishable by prison or death.

What is an arraignment?

The first formal court appearance after being charged of a crime.

What is a plea?

The formal statement a person makes in court when accused of a crime.

What is a plea bargain?

Defendant pleas guilty or no contest for less harsh punishments.

What is probable cause?

Reason to believe a crime has or will take/taken place

What is the Miranda Warning?

Mandatory advisement given by police officers to suspect.

What is beyond a reasonable doubt?

Highest standard of proof is required in criminal cases.

What is Locard’s Principle?

Whenever two objects come into contact, there is a mutual exchange of materials.

What is the CSI effect?

Phenomenon where crime shows distort juror’s expectations.

What evidence does Anthropology examine?

Deals with identification of victims based on skeletal remains.

What can anthropology help determine?

Critical physical, biological, and circumstantial evidence.

What kind of evidence does the arson department examine?

Fire, ashes, lighters, burn and char patterns, pour and trail patterns, ignition and timing devices.

What can the Arson department help determine?

How/where a fire may have started.

What kind of evidence does the ballistics department examine?

Firearms, shells, casings.

What can the ballistics department help determine?

The weapon, physical dynamics in a shooting incident, and ammunition.

What evidence does the engineering department examine?

physical debris, project records, structural components, and material samples.

What can the engineering department help determine?

How a structure, device, or system failed.

What evidence does the entomology department examine?

Insects

What can the entomology department help determine?

Information about post-mortem invterval.

What evidence does forensic psychology examine?

Behavior, profiling, motives.

What can forensic psychology help determine?

An individual’s mental state, risk levels, and psychological trauma.

What evidence does the geology department examine?

Soil, rocks, minerals.

What can the geology department help determine?

Whether geological material may connect people/objects to places.

What evidence does Odontology examine?

Teeth, dental work, bite marks, dental records.

What can Odontology help determine?

Identify through age, DNA, abuse or malpractice.

What evidence does Palynology examine?

Pollen or spores.

What can Palynology help determine?

Possible links between people/objects and locations.

What evidence does Pathology examine?

Wounds or trauma, patterned injuries, asphyxiation indicators, etc.

What can Pathology help determine?

The medical, physical and circumstantial facts surrounding sudden death.

What evidence do Polygraphs examine?

Physiological responses.

What can Polygraphs help determine?

Changes during questioning.

What evidence do toolmarks examine?

Marks made by tools.

What can the toolmark department help determine?

What tool was used and if crime scenes are linked.

What evidence does serology examine?

Blood and body fluids.

What can serology help determine?

Information from blood/body fluids.

What evidence does toxicology examine?

Identification of drugs and poisons.

What can toxicology help determine?

Cause of death, behavioral impairment, timeline, and drug facilitated crimes.

What does a forensic scientist do?

Examine evidence and may provide expert testimony.

True or False: Forensic scientists can work with evidence from BOTH civil and criminal cases?

True

Where was the first crime laboratory established?

In Lyon,France, Europe by Locard.

When was the FBI crime laboratory created?

In the 1930’s.

True or False: some government agencies maintain their onw crime-lab capabilites?

True

A defendant appears in court, hears the charge, and enters a plea. This is an…

Arraignment

A defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a reduced charge. This is a…

Plea bargain

Investigators have facts that would make a reasonable person believe a specific suspect committed a crime. This is…

Probable cause

What standard of proof is required for a criminal conviction?

beyond a reasonable doubt

What is one right included in the Miranda warning?

The right to remain silent