Basics of Crime Scene Investigation

A collection of vocabulary flashcards based on the key concepts and terminology related to crime scene investigation.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A primary influencer of scientific crime detection who popularized methods through the character Sherlock Holmes, who applied techniques like serology, fingerprinting, firearms identification, and questioned-document examination long before they were accepted by real-world investigators.

Mathieu Orfila

Widely considered the father of forensic toxicology; in 1814, he published the first scientific treatise on the detection of poisons and their effects on animals, which established forensic toxicology as a legitimate scientific endeavor.

Alphonse Bertillon

Developed the first scientific system of personal identification known as anthropometry, which involved taking a series of body measurements to distinguish one individual from another; he is known as the father of criminal identification.

Francis Galton

Conducted the first definitive study of fingerprints and developed a methodology of classifying them for filing; his work demonstrated that fingerprints are unique and persistent, leading to their use in identifying individuals.

Leone Lattes

A professor at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Turin who devised a relatively simple procedure for determining the blood group of a dried bloodstain, a technique that remains useful in modern investigations.

Calvin Goddard

A U.S. Army colonel who refined the techniques of firearms examination by using the comparison microscope to determine whether a particular gun fired a specific bullet.

Albert S. Osborn

Developed the fundamental principles of document examination, which allowed documents to be accepted as scientific evidence in courts; he authored the influential book "Questioned Documents" in 1910.

Hans Gross

A public prosecutor and judge in Austria who wrote the first treatise describing the application of scientific disciplines to the field of criminal investigation in 1893, detailing how microscopy, chemistry, and physics could assist investigators.

Edmond Locard

The director of the world's first crime laboratory in Lyons, France; he formulated Locard's Exchange Principle, which states that whenever two objects come into contact, a cross-transfer of physical materials occurs.

Physical Science Unit

A unit within the crime lab that applies principles and techniques of chemistry, physics, and geology to identify and compare physical evidence such as drugs, glass, paint, explosives, and soil.

Biology Unit

Staffed by biologists and serologists who perform DNA profiling on dried bloodstains and other body fluids, compare hairs and fibers, and identify botanical materials like wood and plants.

Firearms Unit

Responsible for the examination of firearms, discharged bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells, and ammunition of all types; they also examine garments for discharge residues and look for tool marks.

Document Examination Unit

Analyzes handwriting and typewriting on questioned documents to ascertain authenticity or source, and may also perform analysis of paper and ink, or find indented writings and obliterations.

Photography Unit

A specialized unit that uses digital imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray photography to examine and record physical evidence, and prepares photographic exhibits for courtroom presentation.

Toxicology Unit

Examines body fluids and organs to determine the presence or absence of drugs and poisons, and often supervises the operation of formal breath-testing devices used by law enforcement.

Latent Fingerprint Unit

The section of the crime lab dedicated to processing and examining evidence for invisible or hidden fingerprints.

Evidence-Collection Unit

Dispatches specially trained personnel, often called crime scene investigators, to the scene of a crime to collect and preserve physical evidence that will later be processed at the laboratory.

The Frye Standard

Derived from the case Frye v. United States (1923), this standard dictates that scientific evidence is admissible in court only if the procedure, technique, or principles used are "generally accepted" by a meaningful segment of the relevant scientific community.

The Daubert Criteria

Stemming from the 1993 Supreme Court case Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., this ruling established that the trial judge acts as a gatekeeper to ensure that an expert's testimony rests on a reliable foundation and is relevant to the task at hand.

Chain of Custody

A chronological documentation or paper trail showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of physical evidence; any gap in this record can lead to evidence being ruled inadmissible.

Forensic Odontology

A specialized field that uses dental science to identify human remains through dental records and provides analysis of bite marks found on victims or at scenes.

Forensic Engineering

Concerned with failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and determining the causes and origins of fires or explosions through the application of engineering principles.

Forensic Entomology

The study of insects and their relation to a criminal investigation, primarily used to estimate the time of death based on the life cycle of blowflies and other insects found on a body.

Forensic Anthropology

The specialized field that involves the identification and examination of human skeletal remains to determine the origin, sex, approximate age, race, and skeletal injury of an individual.

Blood-borne Pathogens

Infectious microorganisms in human blood that can cause disease in humans; crime scene investigators must follow safety protocols to prevent exposure to pathogens like Hepatitis B and HIV.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Essential gear, such as nitrile gloves, splash-resistant goggles, lab coats, and respirators, designed to protect forensic personnel from hazardous chemical and biological exposures in the field or the lab.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

A technical document for each chemical in the lab that provides information on hazards, safe handling, storage, and emergency response procedures (16 sections long under GHS standards).

Chemical Fume Hood

A laboratory safety device designed to capture and exhaust toxic, offensive, or flammable vapors, protecting the forensic scientist from inhaling harmful volatile chemicals.

Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)

An OSHA regulation requiring that all chemical hazards in the workplace are communicated to employees via labeling, SDS, and training to ensure physical and health safety.

Secondary Containment

The use of a second outer container or tray to hold primary chemical containers to prevent spills or leaks from spreading and causing a larger safety hazard.