Advance Crime Scene Midterms

What is forensic science?

Is the application of science
to criminal and civil law to criminal and civil law.

What is the scientific method?

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

What television show sparked interest in forensic work and criminal investigation?

CSI

What is the CSI effect?

The public has unrealistic expectations when it comes to forensic evidence.

What is Locard’s Exchange Principle?

Whenever two objects come into contact with one another, there is exchange of materials between them

In what year did the FBI establish a forensic service laboratory?

In 1932.

According to your textbook, what are the basic services provided by full-service crime
laboratories?

Basic Services- Physical Science Unit, Biology Unit, Firearms Unit, Document examination unit, and photography unit.

What are the optional services provided by laboratories?

Toxicology Unit, Latent Fingerprint Unit, Polygraph unit, Voiceprint Analysis Unit, and Crime-Scene Investigation Unit.

What are the forensic laboratory services offered by the State of Florida , and what are
the primary responsibilities of each discipline ?

Biology Section, Biometric Identification Section, Chemistry Section/Seized Drugs Section, Crime Scene Section, Digital Evidence Section, DNA Database Unit, Firearms Section, Friction Ridge Section, Impression Evidence Section, Question Documents Section, Toxicology Section and Trace Evidence Section

What is an expert witness?

Is an individual whom the court determines to possess knowledge relevant to the trial that is not expected of the average layperson.

What five areas of inquiry do a judge used to determine the admissibility and reliability
of scientific evidence in courts that follow the Daubert rules?

1:Whether the scientific technique or theory can be (and has been) tested
2:Whether the technique or theory has been subject to peer review and publication
3:The technique's potential rate of error
4: Existence and maintenance of standards controlling the technique's operation
5: Whether the scientific theory or method has attracted widespread acceptance within a relevant scientific community

What is the Frye standard?

Was set forth in 1923 in the
court case Frye v. United States court case Frye v. United Stat

Name the 21 common types of physical evidence that might be present at crime scenes.

1)Blood, semen, and saliva

2)Documents

3)Drugs

4)Explosives

5)Fibers

6)Fingerprints

7)Firearms and ammunition

8)Glass

9)Hair

10)Impressions

11)Organs and physiological fluids

12)Paint

13)Petroleum products

14)Plastic bags

15)Plastic, rubber, and other polymers

16)Powder residues

17)Serial numbers

18)Soil and minerals

19)Tool marks

20)Vehicle lights

21)Wood and other vegetative matter

What are individual characteristics?

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

What are class characteristics?

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

What is a forensic database?

An investigative tool used by analysts in an attempt to develop an investigative lead for criminal investigators.

Define physical evidence.

Is any object that can establish that a crime has or has not been committed or can link a crime and it's victim or it's perpetrator.

Can scientific evaluation overcome the results of a poorly conducted criminal
investigation?

No. If the investigator cannot recognize physical evidence or cannot properly preserve it

Does the collection of physical evidence require a highly skilled person who specializes
in crime scene collection techniques

No. With proper training, police agencies can ensure competent performance at crime scenes.

Should unauthorized personnel be allowed to remain at a crime scene?

No. Every individual who enters the scene is a potential destroyer of physical evidence

How can failing to protect a crime scene destroy or alter evidence?

Not protecting a crime scene can result in the removal, alteration, or destruction of evidence

Whose responsibility is it to preserve and protect the area of a crime scene to the greatest
extent possible and to deal with any violent or hazardous circumstances?

The first responding officer.

What is the first priority at a crime scene and what must a crime scene investigator also
do while attending to this priority?

1: Obtaining medical assistance for individuals in need of it.
2: See to it that none of the evidence is disturbed.

Should the boundaries of the crime scene encompass only the center of the scene where the crime occurred

No. The boundaries should encompass the center of the scene where the crime occurred, any paths of entry or exit

An accurate log of personnel entering and leaving the crime scene should include what
information?

Who enters the scene/exits the scene and at what time they enter/exit

Once the scene has been secured, boundaries of the scene have been determined, and the perpetrator’s route of entry and exit has been established, what is the next thing a crime scene investigator should do?

An initial walk-through of the scene

What are the three methods for recording a crime scene?

Notes, photography, and sketches.

When should the note-taking process begin?

The note-taking process begins with the call to a crime-scene investigator to report to a scene.

What information should be included in the initial note-taking process?

The person who contacted the investigator, time of the contact, any preliminary information disclosed, and case number.

What other information should be included during the note-taking process?

When the lead investigator arrives, the note taker should record the date and time of arrival, who is present, and the identities of any other personnel who are being contacted.

Should a crime scene investigator write notes from memory back at the laboratory? Why
or why not?

Notes should be written at the time of the crime-scene investigation, not left to memory to record later.

Before collecting evidence, what should a crime scene investigator use to describe the
evidence?

Notes

Should an injured or deceased victim’s body be documented before being moved? Why
or why not?

Yes. If a victim is present at a homicide scene, the investigator should observe and record the state of the body before the medical examiner or coroner moves it.

. The most important prerequisite for photographing a crime scene is to have it in a(n)
___________ condition.

unaltered

What are the different types of photographs that should be taken at a crime scene?

Overviews (Overalls), Medium-range (mid-range), Close-Up (Without scale) and with the Photo Markers

Each crime scene should be photographed as completely as possible in a logical succession, and the photographs should include the area in which the crime actually took place and all adjacent areas where important acts occurred.

True. Each crime scene should be photographed as completely as possible.

Which photographs should be taken first at a crime scene?

Overall/Overview

Which photographs should be taken last at a crime scene?

Close-up

How much of the photograph should overlap when taking overall images?

Individual photographs should be taken with about a 30% overlap

Does a crime scene investigator need to create a final sketch at the crime scene?

No. Unlike the rough sketch, the finished sketch (or final sketch) is constructed with care and concern.

A detailed search of the crime scene should be conducted in what manner?

The search for physical evidence at a crime scene must be thorough and systematic.

What are the different types of search patterns?

Strip or Line Search Pattern, Grid Search Pattern, Spiral Search Pattern, Wheel or Ray Search Pattern, and Quadrant or Zone Search Pattern

Why does a crime scene investigator use a search pattern at a crime scene?

Utilizing a search pattern ensures a thorough and systematic search and prevents evidence from being missed by the crime scene investigator.

If the investigator does not recognize physical evidence or does not properly preserve it for laboratory examination, sophisticated laboratory instrumentation or technical expertise can salvage the situation and attain the desired results.

False. If the investigator cannot recognize physical evidence or cannot properly preserve it for laboratory examination

Should trace evidence be removed from the object it is on? Why or why not?

No. Evidence best maintains its integrity when kept in its original condition as found at the crime site.

What other evidence may be present at a scene that an investigator should document during the note-taking process?

Smells, Weather Conditions, Temperatures

Define chain of custody.

A list of all people who came into possession of an item of evidence.

Reference sample may also be referred to as what?

Known standard

Why are known standards important?

The examination of evidence, whether soil, blood, glass, hair, fibers, and so on, often requires comparison with a known standard/reference sample.

What amendment should be taken into consideration while conducting a search of a
person, place, or thing?

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

What is PPE?

personal protective equipment

List five different kinds of PPE.

Goggles, Tyvek Coveralls, Gloves, Lab Coats, Face Mask, Breathing Apparatus, Face Shield, Shoe Coverings

What is the difference between a medical examiner and a coroner?

Medical Examiner- Is a medical degree and is appointed officially.

Coroner - An elected official who may or may not have a medical degree.

Define forensic pathologist.

Investigative personnel, typically medical examiners or coroners, who investigate the cause, manner, and time of death of a victim in a crime.

How is a forensic pathologist different from a medical examiner and corner?

Although both the coroner’s office and the medical examiner’s office are charged with investigating suspicious deaths, only the pathologist is trained to perform an autopsy.

What is an autopsy?

A surgical procedure performed to ascertain the cause of death.

What information should be captured in an investigator’s notes during an autopsy?

The documentation should include date, time, place, by whom the autopsy was performed, and who attended the autopsy.

Name the different types of evidence that may be collected at an autopsy.

Clothing, fingernail scrapings/clippings, combings from head and pubic areas, and swabs

Define cause of death.

Identifies the injury or disease that led to the chain of events resulting in death.

Name the five causes of death.

Blunt-force injury, Sharp-force injuries, Asphyxia, Gunshot wound, and Drug abuse

Define manner of death.

A determination made by a forensic pathologist of the cause of death.

What are the five broad categories for manner of death?

Homicide, Suicide, Accidental, Natural, and Undetermined

What is petechiae?

Pinpoint hemorrhaging often observed in the white area of the victim’s eyes.

Can a pathologist determine an exact time of death?

No, A pathologist can never give an exact time of death.

Define algor mortis.

A process that occurs after death in which the body temperature continually cools until it reaches the ambient or room temperature.

Define livor mortis.

A medical condition that occurs after death and results in the settling of blood in areas of the body closest to the ground.

Define rigor mortis.

A medical condition that occurs after death and results in the stiffening of muscle mass.

What are the six things a pathologist can use to determine an approximate time of death?

Algor mortis, livor mortis, rigor mortis, potassium eye levels, stomach contents, and decomposition

What is a forensic anthropologist?

A person who uses their knowledge of humans and skeletal structure to examine and identify human skeletal remains

Can age, race, and sex be determined by skeletal remains?

Yes

How do the male and female pelvic girdle differ?

Female: Wide, Circular nature of the pelvic opening and the short, wide nature of the sacrum

Male: The narrow pelvic opening and long, narrow sacrum.

Name the differences between a male and female skull.

Male- Large in Size. Low in height, sloped, backward.

Female- Medium to large in size

Name the skull characteristics of each of the three racial ancestries.

Caucasoid- Oval. Long, Narrow, and Smooth
Mongoloid- Circular. Small, and Rounded. Shoveled.
Negroid- Square. Wide, and Smooth.

What is forensic entomology?

The study of insect matter, growth patterns, and succession of arrival at a crime scene to determine the time since death.

What is postmortem interval?

The length of time that has elapsed since a person has died.

How are insects helpful during a death investigation?

They aid in the time of death due to their life cycle.

What are the different stages of the blowfly life cycle?

Egg, Larva (stage 1), Larva (stage 2), Larva (stage 3), Larva (stage 3 post-feeding), and Late Adults, Eggs, Maggots, and Pupa

What is species succession?

The order in which insects will arrive to a dead body.

What species would feed on a corpse first?

Flies

What is a questioned document?

Any object that contains handwritten or typewritten markings whose source or authenticity is in doubt

What section or unit examines questioned documents?

Document Examination Section (Questioned Documents Section)

What types of analyses are performed by document examiners?

Handwriting comparisons, obliterations, typescript comparisons, alterations, erasures, counterfeit money, burned documents, shredded documents, ink comparisons, paper comparisons, indented writing, and stamps

Besides collecting the document in question, what else must be collected?

Known writing standards (also known as known exemplars) and instruments suspected of creating the questioned document

What are the seven things listed in your book that should be done to ensure that a handwriting sample is usable for analysis?

1) The writer should be allowed to write sitting comfortably at a desk or table and without distraction.

2) The suspect should not under any conditions be shown the questioned document or be told how to spell certain words or what punctuation to use.

3) The suspect should be furnished a pen and paper similar to those used in the questioned document.

4) The dictated text should be the same as the contents of the questioned document, or at least should contain many of the same words, phrases, and letter combinations found in the document. In hand-printing cases, the suspect must not be told whether to use uppercase (capital) or lowercase (small) lettering. If after writing several pages the writer fails to use the desired type of lettering, he or she can then be instructed to include it. Altogether, the text must be no shorter than a page.

5) Dictation of the text should take place at least three times. If the writer is trying to disguise the writing, noticeable variations should appear among the three repetitions. Discovering this, the investigator must insist on continued repetitive dictation of the text.

6) Signature exemplars can best be obtained when the suspect is required to combine other writings with a signature. For example, instead of compiling a set of signatures alone, the writer might be asked to fill out completely 20 to 30 separate checks or receipts, each of which includes a signature.

7) Before requested exemplars are taken from the suspect, a document examiner should be consulted and shown the questioned specimens

If handwriting samples cannot be obtained, what else can be obtained for comparison?

Normal course of business writing

What is the proper procedure for collecting a questioned document?

Use PPE, fill out necessary information on the container, put the document inside the container, seal the container, and ensure you do not write on top of the container after the document is inside.

What section or unit in a crime laboratory examines evidence related to electronic devices?

Computer Evidence Recovery Section (Digital Evidence Section)

What types of evidence might a forensic computer analyst be asked to examine?

Any type of electronic equipment that saves digital information that can be recovered. This includes computers, cell phones and GPS devices.

Deleted files from an electronic device can be recovered by a forensic computer analyst.

True

What is hardware?

The physical components of a computer: case, keyboard, monitor, motherboard, RAM, HDD, mouse, and so on; generally speaking, if it is a computer component you can touch, it is hardware.

What is software?

A set of instructions compiled into a program that performs a particular task; software consists of programs and applications that carry out a set of instructions on the hardware.

Should a crime scene investigator collect electronic devices when at a crime scene?

Yes, if it is believed that the device was used in the crime, it should be collected.

It necessary to obtain a password for protected devices in order for the information to be accessed during an investigation.

No, it is not necessary.

What section or unit examines friction ridge characteristics to aid in the identification of a suspect?

Latent Fingerprint Unit (Friction Ridge Section)

What are the two essential philosophies that allow for fingerprint identification?

1) A fingerprint is unique, meaning that no two people have ever been found to have identical ridge characteristics, not even identical twins

2) Fingerprints are persistent, meaning that they will remain unchanged throughout a person’s lifetime from the time they are fully formed inside the womb until the time of decomposition.

What are the two basic types of evidence that are processed by a latent print examiner?

Porous and non-porous

What information should be included on a latent lift card?

The Case Number, Date/Time, Offense, Lift, Lift by Someone, and the location of the lift. Drawing out an image of that is lifted.

What are the three basic types of fingerprint patterns?

Whorls, loops, and arches

What does AFIS stand for?

Automated Fingerprint Identification System

What is the current name of the system the FBI uses for their finger and palm print database?

Next Generation Identification System