Forensic science

What is Forensic Science?

The application of scientific principles and techniques to legal matters, particularly in criminal and civil cases.

What is physical evidence?

Evidence collected at a crime scene that can be linked to a suspect or victim.

What are the initial responsibilities at a crime scene?

The first officer on the scene is responsible for securing the area, protecting evidence, and documenting initial observations.

What is crime scene investigation (CSI)?

A systematic method for processing a crime scene, including searching, documenting, collecting, and preserving evidence.

What is Forensic Science?

What is Forensic Science?

The application of scientific principles and techniques to legal matters, particularly in criminal and civil cases.

What is physical evidence?

What is physical evidence?

Evidence collected at a crime scene that can be linked to a suspect or victim.

What are the initial responsibilities at a crime scene?

What are the initial responsibilities at a crime scene?

The first officer on the scene is responsible for securing the area, protecting evidence, and documenting initial observations.

What is crime scene investigation (CSI)?

What is crime scene investigation (CSI)?

A systematic method for processing a crime scene, including searching, documenting, collecting, and preserving evidence.

What is the chain of custody?

A detailed record of the custody and transfer of evidence, essential for maintaining its integrity and admissibility in court.

What is Dactyloscopy?

The study of human fingerprints as a method of identification.

What is Locard's Exchange Principle?

The principle that when two objects come into contact, there is a transfer of material from one to the other.

What is Forensic Ballistics?

The scientific study of physical evidence derived from firearms and ammunition.

What is Forensic Pathology?

The medical specialty focused on determining the cause and manner of death.

What is Forensic Toxicology?

The study of poisons, including their detection in biological samples and their effects on the body.

What is Forensic Odontology?

The application of dental knowledge to criminal and civil laws, especially in identifying human remains.

What is Forensic Entomology?

The study of insects in a legal context, often used to estimate time of death (Post Mortem Interval - PMI).

What is Forensic Anthropology?

The application of anthropological methods to the examination of human remains for identification and cause/manner of death.

What are common types of trace evidence?

Evidence that includes hair, fibers, paint chips, glass fragments, and soil.

What are fingerprints?

The unique pattern of ridges and furrows on the tip of each finger, used for individual identification.

What are the three types of fingerprints?

Latent (invisible), patent (visible), and plastic (impressed in soft material).

How are latent fingerprints developed?

Powders, super glue fuming (cyanoacrylate), and ninhydrin are common methods for visualizing latent fingerprints.

How is hair evidence analyzed?

A microscopic examination of hair can determine if it's human or animal, its color, and sometimes its ancestry. DNA can be extracted from hair follicles.

How are fiber evidence analyzed?

Fibers can be natural (cotton, wool) or synthetic (nylon, polyester) and are analyzed for type, color, and weave pattern to link suspects to crime scenes.

What is serology and DNA analysis?

The analysis of blood, semen, saliva, urine, and other bodily fluids often involves DNA profiling.

What is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)?

A technique used to amplify small amounts of DNA for analysis.

What is a DNA profile?

A unique genetic fingerprint derived from an individual's DNA, used for identification.

What is tool mark analysis?

The systematic comparison of tool marks found at crime scenes with tools seized from suspects.

What is questioned document examination?

The examination of handwriting and typewritten documents to determine authenticity or identify the writer.

What is Digital Forensics?

The analysis of digital data from computers, mobile phones, and other electronic devices.

What are striations?

The individual characteristics of a bullet or casing left by a specific firearm.

What is Forensic Psychiatry?

The process of determining if a person was legally competent to make decisions or stand trial.

What is Forensic Palynology?

The study of pollen and spores in a legal context, primarily used to link a suspect or object to a specific location.

What is the Kastle-Meyer test (Phenolphthalein test)?

Used to detect bloodstains, even those that have been cleaned up, by reacting with hemoglobin.

What is Luminol?

A chemical that glows blue when it reacts with blood, even in minute quantities.

What are methods of crime scene documentation?

Includes photographs, sketches, and detailed written notes, taken at a crime scene to preserve its original condition.

What is the Henry Classification System?

A system for classifying and searching fingerprint records, originally developed by Sir Edward Henry.

What is the significance of R_f values in forensic analysis?

R_f value (retardation factor) in chromatography, used to identify substances by comparing their movement on a stationary phase.

What is crime scene reconstruction?

Methods for reconstructing a crime scene based on physical evidence, common for shooting incidents and bloodstain patterns.

What is micro-evidence?

Small evidence that is not immediately obvious but can be crucial (e.g., hair, fibers, glass fragments).

What is Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA)?

The science of analyzing blood spatter patterns to determine events that occurred at a crime scene.

What is forensic engineering (in vehicle accidents)?

The examination of vehicle accident scenes to determine causes and contributing factors.

What is forensic analysis of explosives?

The detection and analysis of explosive residues and post-blast evidence.

What is forensic arson investigation?

The detection of accelerants (like gasoline) in fire debris to determine if a fire was arson.

What are impression evidence analyses?

The analysis of impressions such as footwear and tire tracks.