forensics midterm

Alphonse Bertillon

Developed anthropometry, a systematic method of measuring physical features to identify individuals.

Francis Galton

Conducted extensive research on fingerprints, establishing their uniqueness and reliability for personal identification.

Calvin Goddard

Known as the father of ballistics, he created methods for examining firearms and bullets.

Edmond Locard

Formulated Locard’s Exchange Principle, which posits that every contact leaves a trace.

Physical Evidence

Any tangible object that can establish a crime has occurred or link a suspect to a crime scene.

Types of Evidence

Includes biological (blood, hair), physical (glass, fibers), and trace evidence (soil, paint).

First Steps at a Crime Scene

Securing the scene, providing medical assistance, and documenting the scene.

Chain of Custody

Maintaining a documented chain of custody to ensure the integrity and admissibility of evidence.

Physical Science Unit

Analyzes drugs, glass, paint, explosives, and soil in forensic investigations.

Livor Mortis

The pooling of blood due to gravity, indicating the position of the body post-mortem.

Algor Mortis

Refers to the cooling of the body after death, helping estimate the time of death.

Rigor Mortis

The stiffening of muscles after death, providing clues about the time of death.

LD50

The lethal dose of a substance that kills 50% of a test population.

Blow Flies

Typically the first insects to arrive at a corpse, helping to estimate the time since death.

Fingerprint Analysis

Involves identifying types of fingerprints: arch, loop, whorl, and composite patterns.

Class Characteristics

Features shared by a group, such as the type of handgun used in a crime that can narrow down suspects.

Individual Characteristics

Unique identifiers, such as fingerprints or DNA, that can link evidence to a specific individual.