CRIM 275 Exam 2

Adipocere

Lipids take on a waxy appearance

AFIS

Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems

Algor mortis

a process that occurs after death in which the body temperature continually cools until it reaches the room temperature

Anthropometry

A system of identification of individuals by measurement of parts of that body

Asphyxia

Anything that inhibits oxygen intake

Autolysis

The breakdown of cells and tissues by the body's own enzymes

Bullet defects

The mark, identification, or holes a bullet makes in different materials

Caliber

the diameter of the bore of a rifled firearm

Carlo

illegally manufactured submachine gun loosely modeled on the Swedish Carl Gustaf m/45

Cause of death

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

Condenser

the lens system under the microscope stage that focuses light onto the specimin

Core

focal point of a fingerprint pattern

Coroner

an elected official who investigates death and issues death certificates

Decedent

legal term for a person who has died

Delta

a triangular or funnel-shaped focal point in a print

Diagenesis

Metabolization of the organic and mineral matrices of skeletal material

Eyepiece lens

the lens on a microscope into which the viewer looks

Fluorescence

process where a substance absorbs light or invisible radiation and immediately glows by re-emitting that energy as visible light

Forensic anthropology

The field of study that deals with the analysis of human osteological remains resulting from unexplained deaths

Forensic autopsy

postmortem examination ordered by a legal authority to investigate sudden, suspicious, unnatural, or criminal deaths

Forensic entomology

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

Forensic pathologist

someone who investigates the cause, manner, and time of death of a victim in a crime

Grooves

the cut portions between the lands in a rifled bore

Linear Discriminant Analysis

measures appearances and characteristics to identify faces

Liquefaction

process where something turns into a liquid

Long guns

rifles and shotguns

Livor mortis

occurs after death and results in the settling of blood in areas of the body closest to the ground

Manner of death

circumstances surrounding the death

Mastoid process

Medical autopsy

conducted in a hospital to study natural disease processes and confirm medical diagnoses

Medical examiner

estimate manner and cause of death

Microspectrophotometer

Allows for the microscopic examination of trace evidence based on morphology, color, and the absorption spectrum

Minutiae

ridges on fingerprints

NIBIN

National Integrated Ballistics Information Network

Objective lens

the lower lens of a microscope that is positioned directly over the specimen

Pacinian corpuscles

help with perception on fingerprints

Parfocal

maintains focus when you change its magnification or focal length

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

a technique for replicating or copying a portion of a DNA strand outside a living cell

Phytoliths

microscopic and rigid mineral structures in plants

Plastic prints

a fingerprint impressed in a soft surface

Polarizer

a device that permits the passage of light waves vibrating in only one plane

Pollen spores

tiny reproductive particles produced by plans and fungi that spread through the air

Portrait parlé

a verbal description of a perpetrators physical characteristics and dress provided by an eyewitness

Postmortem redistribution

the shift of drug concentration from an organ into the bloodstream after death

Primary classification

used for fingerprints, adaptation of Henry’s classificatory system

Pubic symphyses

Putrefaction

decomposition of proteins

Radial loop

lean towards thumb

Real image

an image that can be seen directly

Rifling

the spiral grooves that spin the bullet

Rigor mortis

muscle rigidity

SEM

High magnification via electron beams

Starch grains

tightly packed glucose storage structures produced by plants

Stippling

markings made by gunpowder residue

Subpubic angle

Template generation

responsible for saving all of the raw data produced by feature extraction and putting it into a system

Transmitted illumination

Light that passes up from the condenser and through the specimen

Type line

two innermost friction ridges that run parallel to each other

Ulnar loop

leans toward pinky

Vertical/Reflected illumination

shines light down from above the specimen so that it bounces off the surface and enters the microscope's lens system

Virtual image

An image that can only be seen through a lens

Visible prints

Prints made after the individual came into contact with a secondary substance

Vitreous humor

clear and colorless substance that fills the space between lens and the retina

Volar pads

temporary, fluid-filled swellings of tissue that form on the fingertips, palms, and soles of a developing fetus

Alex Turk

Created automated scanning technology to identify and authenticate individual faces when compared to others in their database

Khajeh Hamadani

noted that fingerprints could be used to identify individuals

Edward Richard Henry

creates a classification system that has been used in most English-speaking countries

Francis Galton

published “finger prints”

Hans and Zacharias Janssen

aInvented the first compound microscope

Henry Faulds

publishes on using fingerprints in the forensic context

John Daugman

aCreated the IrisCode that captures data from an iris and compares it to others in a database

Juan Vucetich

advised a classification system that makes prints searchable

Matthew Pentland

Created automated scanning technology to identify and authenticate individual faces when compared to others in their database

Average number of ridge characteristics

150

Where to check for potassium eye levels

Vitreous humor

Why would you check for potassium eye levels?

offer reliable post mortem interval rate

Why would you use x-rays when examining a decedent who died under suspicious circumstances?

locate any hidden evidence, identify old or new breaks, dental and sinus patterns

At a forensic autopsy, what evidence is collected from the victim and sent to the forensic laboratory?

Body swabs, hair, liquids, trace materials, and any evidence

Alessandrini research question

Can human DNA profiles be reliably recovered from touched surfaces/latent fingerprints?

Alessandrini samples

Touch DNA samples on smooth/porous surfaces

Alessandrini method of analysis

Low-copy number (LCN) PCR amplification techniques

Alessandrini findings

High sensitivity enables profile recovery, but risk of secondary transfer and partial profiles increases

Alessandrini limitations

Stochastic effects and high vulnerability to contamination

How do fingerprints change over life?

they are permanently fixed from development

blunt force trauma presentation

bruises, scrapes, tears, etc.

sharp force trauma presentation

stab wounds, clean cut wounds, incised wounds, etc

When are iris scans currently used?

security biometric access control, airports, immigration checks, and law enforcement identification

Chaikovsky findings

Video evidence can only be so reliable

Chaikovsky limitations

Image resolution, poor lighting, motion blur, and replica/toy firearm imitations

What factors influence bullet defects?

Bullet velocity, impact angle, glass/target composition, and jacket type

Which method of bullet trajectory estimation is the most accurate?

probing method

Drawback of probing

Cannot be used if the bullet ricochets or doesn't create a secondary defect

How are test and evidence bullet matched?

comparison microscope

How to test if suspect has recently shot a gun

testing hands for GSR

What does a stippling pattern tell us?

approximate muzzle to target distance

What factors complicate a stippling patter?

Hair, thick clothing, intermediate targets, barrel length, cartridge type, and weather

What factors individualize tool markings?

nicks, wear patterns, gouges, etc.

What class characteristics can be found from a fired bullet?

caliber, number of grooves, direction of twist, etc.

What individual characteristics can be found from a fired bullet?

microscopic imperfections unique to a single barrel

esthetic morphology

External appearance/cosmetic styling