FRSC 101: Vocab Quiz 1 (Chapter 1-3)

Antemortem

performed before death

AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System)

contains many known fingerprints and evidentiary fingerprints not yet identified

Certification

applies to individuals

Classification

the process of categorizing the evidence within a group/class of similar objects (ex. Hair, fiber, white powder, paint chip) Rule 702

CODIS (Combined DNA Indexing System)

contains DNA profiles of convicted offenders and unidentified suspects in unsolved cases.

Coroner

an elected official and need not have any special medical knowledge or training, since he or she can call on specialists to assist in technical determinations. A coroner has the power to convene a coroner's inquest and take sworn testimony at a proceeding if necessary to assist in making determinations.

Corpus delicti

Establishing a basis for a crime and criminal prosecution

Criminalistics

encompasses all the evidence examination. Four major categories: biological analysis, material analysis, chemical analysis, and pattern evidence analysis

Forensic Science

It is the application of scientific principles and techniques to matters of criminal justice as relating to the collection, examination, and analysis of physical evidence

It is the science in the service of the law. Forensics means "having to do with the law"

Medical Examiner

is responsible for determining the cause and manner of sudden, suspicious, or unattended deaths. In fulfilling that responsibility, the medical examiner must consider the possibility that poisons, or drugs caused or contributed to the death

Medico-legal

Although these institutes concentrated on investigating death cases, some of the early medico-legalists also did work on the identification of blood and semen stains

Modus operandi

the perpetrator's method of operation (These habits, that can often be reconstructed from physical evidence, study of scenes or from interviewing victims)

NIBIN (National Integrated Ballistic Identification Network)

contains image data from bullets and cartridge cases from known weapons seized in cases and from evidence collected in unsolved cases.

Pathology

the study of the nature of disease and its causes, processes, development, and consequences

Perimortem

at or near the time of death

Postmortem

occurring or done after death; usually related to an examination of the body after it is dead

Cold Case

an unsolved criminal investigation which remains open pending the discovery of new evidence

Daubert Evidence Rule

The Daubert Rule of Evidence consists of 5 prongs or criteria that need to be fulfilled in order to be admissible in court:

1. The scientific tests on the evidence must be truly scientific

2. Significant hypothesis testing is to be done

3. Must be generally accepted (Frye's standard)

4. Whether it has been subjected to peer review and publication

5. Potential or known error rate

The "gatekeeper" to determine the admissibility into the courtroom (Judge)

Deposit

transfer of material in an indirect manner unlike the contact. Ex: pollen, cement dust, fertilizer traces on another evidence

Exclusion

are absolute. If there are unexplained differences in observed characteristics (Table 1.3) between questioned and known specimens, the known is definitively excluded as a source of the questioned specimen. They could not have had a common origin. Exclusionary findings are as telling as a full or partial individualization. They can cause an investigation to be re-directed or, in the extreme, demonstrate that an accused, or even someone already convicted, is innocent. In recent years, the role that DNA exclusions have played in the review of cases of individuals wrongly convicted has received considerable publicity.

Expert Witness

enjoys some special privileges in court, such as the ability to give his or her opinion. An expert must be qualified as an expert in advance of any substantive testimony, and this process takes place at every single court appearance. Qualification as an expert takes into account education, training, experience, prior testimony, and other evidence of professional expertise, such as publications and presentations at meetings.

Frye Evidence Rule

The decision of this case set guidelines to determine the admissibility of scientific evidence into the courtroom to be considered as part of the scientific evidence

The Frye standard requires the evidence to be "generally acceptable" by the scientific community in order to meet its criteria

Trier of facts: judge or jury

The scientific evidence needs to have relevance and reliability to be admissible

Imprint

produced when an object comes into contact with a hard surface and leaves a 2D representation of itself

Indentation

is produced when an object comes into contact with a soft surface creating a 3D mark. Ex: dirt, blood, dust, sand, mud, snow (respectively)

Known (K)

Specimens from known sources or people are often called known (or K) specimens.

Locard's Exchange Principle

"When two objects come in contact, there will always be a transfer of material"

Remember that one may not always find transferred material

Probable Cause

is an important legal concept that says the evidence offered is sufficient to convince a reasonable person that this individual may be guilty

Questioned (Q)

Evidentiary specimens, those originating from scenes and unknown sources, are often called questioned (or Q)

Striation

is a result of a hard surface coming in contact with an object in motion (tool) creating an individual marking along the surface

Trier of Fact

judge or jury

Contracting or Expanding Spiral Search

a method of going in a spiral to search the crime scene

Crime Scene Photography

Three types of photographs: overall, midrange, and close-up

Items of evidence should be photographed in their original location

A label, number tents, or markers may be placed next to an item at the scene, take a picture with and without this marker

For close-up photos of evidence, a scale (ruler) should be included in the picture to show the size of the item

Cross-Projection Sketch

is most easily envisioned using a rectangular room as the scene. used to show the location of bullet holes or blood patterns on walls or a ceiling, for example.

Depth of Field

as a range of distances from the lens where everything will be in focus. Narrow depth of field might mean that only objects between 6 and 12 feet will be in focus, where wider depth of field might have almost everything in view in focus. How much depth of field is needed for a picture depends on what is being photographed and what needs to be in focus.

Druggist Fold

A druggist fold is nothing more than a way to fold a piece of square or rectangular paper, so that it forms a leakproof container for particle or powder type material. It can also be used as a primary container for fibers or hairs.

F-Stop

indicates the amount of light that will be allowed to reach the film or image capture device by controlling the lens aperture.

Line or Strip Search

A search method used by one or two investigators by walking in straight lines across the crime scene.

Notes

"The importance of first responders making notes on initial scene conditions cannot be emphasized too strongly. Often, the initial responders are first on the scene, and the only ones who observe it close to its original condition" (Harris and Lee, 2019)

Take notes about everything at the scene: all observations and actions

Notes are often used as the basis for preparing a more formal written report later

Little details can become important later

Sketches

Sketches show the exact locations of all the buildings, streets, permanent fixtures, furniture, and physical evidence, etc

Sketches provide information that photographs and videos cannot

Two Types of Sketches

- Rough Sketch: made at the scene, drawn not to scale and contains measurements

- Finished Sketch: a smooth/cleaned up sketch prepared later from the data contained in the rough sketch with no measurements and only contains relevant items

Videography

can be used to complement photographs

Zone or Quadrant Search

A search method in which the crime scene is divided into smaller sections (zones or quadrants) and team members are assigned to search each section.