CSI Exam 1 and 2 flashcards

List the 3 cardinal rules of crime scene photography

1. fill the frame

2. maximize the depth of field

3. keep the film plane parallel

when do you utilize a polarizing filter?

a. when taking images through a glass window

b. polarizing filters should be used at all times

c. when taking images outside during daylight

d. polarizing filters are not needed

when taking images through a glass window

True or false: if a bad photo is taken, it can be deleted.

false

a case file may include:

a. evidence logs

b. photo logs

c. crime scene sketches

d. all of the above

e. none of the above

all of the above

true or false: it is essential to explain why an iten of evidence may be unsuitable for comparison purposes within your report

true

select the proper definition of exposure, as it relates to crime scene photography:

a. the diameter of the lens opening

b. distance between the nearest and the furthest objects in acceptably sharp focus in an image

c. amount of light that reaches your camera’s sensor, creating visual data over time

d. the act of presenting gruesome photographs as evidence in court

amount of light that reaches your camera’s sensor, creating visual data over time

which of the following formats is an example of a lossless compression file?

a. TIFF

b. RAW

c. JPEG

d. PDF

TIFF

you are photographic a scene with a 50mm lens. you set your aperture to 6mm. what is your resulting f-stop? f# = focal length of lens/diameter of opening

8.33

in order to record an effective, good crime scene videotape, one must

a. pan fast

b. zoom slowly

c. record audio throughout the entire taping

d. a, b, & c should all be done when videotaping a crime scene

e. none of the above should be done when videotaping a crime scene

zoom slowly

chain of custody is defined as:

a. an unbroken chain of the people or places having custody or access to a piece of evidence from its discovery until final disposition

b. a list of all people involved in a criminal investigation from its inception to a final disposition

c. a report written by an evidence technician describing what he/she did at a crime scene

d. a list of all places evidence could have been kept

e. none of the above

an unbroken chain of the people or places having custody or access to a piece of evidence from its discovery until final disposition

for the crime scene photographs to be admissible in court, they:

a. must have a prejudicial effect which outweighs the probative value

b. must be on color film

c. must be true and accurate representation of the scene

d. must all include a scale of the photograph

e. all of the above are true about admissibility of photographs in court

must be true and accurate representation of the scene

the following are types of crime scene exceptions except:

a. tangible view

b. elevation drawing

c. exploded view

d. perspective view

e. all of the above are types of crime scene sketches

tangible view

two methods of measurement used when sketching a crime scene are:

a. triangulation and sub-reference points

b. sub-reference points and baseline coordinates

c. baseline coordinates and construction lines

d. triangulation and baseline coordinates

e. all of the above are methods of crime scene sketching

triangulation and baseline coordinates

a manhole, the corner of a building and a utility pole are examples of:

a. tangible reference points

b. semi-tangible reference points

c. intangible reference points

d. unobstructed reference points

e. none of the above

tangible reference points

the term “amended report“ indicates:

a. that other results have been previously reported

b. a report has been issued prior to the completion of all the testing

c. that there has been a correction to a previously issued report

d. none of the above

that there has been a correction to a previously issued report

how should errors in a report be corrected:

a. by erasing the wrong information and correcting it

b. a single line through the error, which is then initialed and dated, and then correcting the error

c. scribbling out the error and writing the correct information next to it

d. all these methods are acceptable

a single line through the error, which is then initialed and dated, and then correcting the error

True or false: Excess space on a report page should be “closed out“ by drawing a single diagonal line through the unused space.

true

what factors affect how much light reached the film plane?

a. amount of ambient light at the scene

b. reflectivity of the scene

c. shutter speed setting on the camera

d. aperture setting on the camera

e. all of the above

all of the above

What is the desired angle of the film plane when photographing pieces of evidence?

a. 0 degrees

b. 90 degrees

c. 45 degrees

d. 10 degrees

0 degrees

reflective light meters determine exposure based upon an industry standard of…

a. 18% grey

b. 20% grey

c. 45% grey

d. 95% grey

e. none of the above

18% grey

digital cameras have continued the convention of relating the sensitivity of their digital sensor to light by using the same ISO equivalents found in conventional film. The following are all true about ISO settings except:

a. the higher the ISO number, the more sensitive to light

b. the higher the ISO number, the less light is needed for a proper exposure

c. the higher the ISO number, the more “noise“ may be seen in the photograph

d. all of the above are true about ISO settings

all of the above are true about ISO settings

the camera setting that deals with the color temperature of the ambient light is known as:

a. ALS

b. composition

c. White balance

d. TTL

e. none of the above

white balance

in a crime scene sketch, how many points must you determine at a minimum to accurately determine the orientation of an object?

a. 1

b. 2

c. 3

d. 4

2

True or false: you do not need to explicitly state the reason for an inconclusive result within your report.

false

the photographic log should contain the following information except:

a. the photographer’s name

b. the case #

c. the make and model of camera

d. the megapixel rating (if digital)

e. the name of the suspect in question

the name of the suspect in question

all of the following are true about rough sketches except:

a. drawn to scale

b. documents size of the scene and the elements within the scene

c. contains all the data necessary to produce a scaled sketch of the crime scene

d. contains a key/legend of symbols used within sketch

drawn to scale

calculate the angle of the film plane using the major and minor aces of the “circle“ Cos theta = N/M

length: 5mm

width: 10mm

60 degrees

when video recording an arson scene, you should take care to get shots of:

a. hot spots

b. elevated shots of the devastation

c. onlookers faces

d. all of the above

e. none of the above

all of the above

define probative value as it applies to evidence.

it is the ability to aid/support the case by evidence/photos and its relevance to the case/crime scene itself. The probative value must outweigh the prejudicial effect.

you arrive at a homicide scene. you notice the victim on the floor and some blood spatter on the walls. which of the following scene sketching methods would be most appropriate to capture these details?

a. tangible view

b. elevation drawing

c. exploded view

d. perspective view

e. any of the above

exploded view

when photographing an indoor scene, your first photos should be:

a. location shots

b. close ups of evidence with and without scale

c. mid-range shots to establish context

d. overall shots using the “4 corners“ method

overall shots using the “4 corners” method

an increase in F-stop corresponds to:

a. an increase in aperture

b. an increase in depth of field

c. a decrease in polarization

d. a decrease in shutter speed

an increase in depth of field

what kind of lenses are known to cause elongation and barrel distortion?

a. standard lenses

b. telephoto lenses

c. wide angle lenses

d. these issues are caused by two different styles of lenses

wide angle lenses

which of the following techniques is used to illuminate dark, outdoor scenes?

a. attenuated light

b. light bouncing

c. oblique lighting

d. painting with light

painting with light

impression evidence should always be photographed:

a. from directly above the impression

b. with oblique lighting

c. with the scale on the same plane

d. all of the above

all of the above

which of the following should be included in a crime scene sketch?

a. a compass pointing north

b. a legend of evidence and pertinent objects

c. descriptions of reference points

d. all of the above

all of the above

how do you accomodate for shakiness in your photographs?

a. increase the shutter speed

b. decrease the ISO number

c. increase the aperture

d. decrease the f-stop

increase the shutter speed

what are the 3 rnages of coverage in the crime scene photography?

a. short, average, and far

b. long, mid, and close

c. overall, location, and evidence

d. there are more than 3 ranges of coverage

long, mid, and close

intangible reference points are mostly useful for what types of scene?

a. homicide

b. burglary

c. arson

d. vehicle accidents

vehicle accidents

in order to be admissible in court, photographs should be:

a. fair

b. accurate

c. unbiased

d. all of the above

all of the above

what kind of distortion might you expect from a telescopic camera lens?

a. barrel distortion

b. elongation

c. compression

d. none of the above

compression

briefly explain why scales are important in crime scene photography.

they allow investigators to see the true size of evidence and measure distortion and accuracy for documentation.

what shape is used to indicate the front of a vehicle on a crime scene sketch?

a. square

b. triangle

c. circle

d. diamond

triangle

light bouncing is used to address what problem?

a. skewed perspective

b. barrel distortion

c. improper composition

d. hotspots

hotspots

true or false: gruesome photographs are never admissible in court

false

when sketching a scene with a vehicle, from which point(s) on the vehicle do you take measurements?

a. the center of the front bumper

b. the center of the tires

c. the bottom left corner of the driver’s door

d. the bottom right corner of the windshield

the center of the tires

define depth of field.

the measurement of the focus on far away objects or “perspective issue“ photographs taken to clearly see what the photographs capture.

placing your scale on a different plane than the evidence being photographed can result in:

a. perspective issues

b. hot spots

c. reduced depth of field

d. it has no effect

perspective issues

photographs must be “relevant and material“ to be admitted in court. what does “relevant and material“ mean in this context?

material associated with the crime scene or case, and that is representative to showing what the scene condition were when found. Anything that can assist in explanation or in “expert testimonies“ of evidence or crime scene.

ridge counting is used for further classification of what type(s) of fingerprint patterns? select all that apply

a. arches

b. loops

c. whorls

d. none of the above

loops

which of the following is not considered a written instrument?

a. wall graffiti

b. credit cards

c. emails

d. personal journals

emails

The case of Crawford v. Washington (2004) was pivotal in changing the way ________ evidence is handled in court.

a. hearsay

b. exculpatory

c. unlawfully obtained

d. forensic

hearsay

which of the following techniques is/are useful for developing bloody fingerprints? select all that apply.

a. amido black

b. leucocrystal violet

c. Ninhydrin

d. physical developer

amido black and leucocrystal violet

which of the following is/are types of evidence considered favorable to the accused under the Brady Rule? select all that apply

a. exculpatory evidence

b. mitigating evidence

c. impeachment evidence

d. none of the above

exculpatory evidence, mitigating evidence, and impeachment evidence

during a routine traffic stop, an officer notices drug paraphernalia in the front cup holder of the car. the driver is arrested and the paraphernalia collected without a warrant. this is allowed under:

a. the inventory search exception

b. the plain view exception

c. the hot pursit exception

d. this is not allowed

the plain view exception

you collect a firearm at a scene. it has spiral grooves cut into its long barrel. this firearm is a:

a. pistol

b. revolver

c. rifle

d. shotgun

rifle

which of the is a method for collecting primer residue from a suspect’s hands? select all that apply.

a. gel lifting technique

b. disc lifting technique

c. GSR technique

d. swab technique

disc lifting technique and swab technique

which of the following is not a subtype of whorled fingerprints?

a. accidental whorl

b. central pocket loop

c. plain whorl

d. radial loop

radial loop

which of the following is a suitable alternative to tamper-resistant tape when sealing evidence.

a. scotch tape

b. masking tape

c. box tape

d. staples

box tape

what type of fingerprint developing technique would be most useful on a tile with a multi-colored background?

a. magnetic powder

b. physical developer

c. ninhydrin

d. fluorescent powder

fluorescent powder

which of the following is not a search method for crime scene processing?

a. clandestine search

b. grid search

c. strip search

d. zone search

clandestine search

individual fibers collected as evidence should be packaged in:

a. paper bags

b. plastic vials

c. plastic bags

d. paper folds

paper folds

forged check is an example of what kind of forged instrument?

a. altered

b. completed

c. falsely made

d. latent

completed

when packaging a handgun, the weapon should be:

a. unloaded and zip tied to cardboard box with the chamber left closed

b. unloaded and placed into a paper bag

c. unloaded and zip tied to cardboard box with the chamber zip tied open

d. loaded and zip tied to a cardboard box with the chamber left closed

unloaded and zip tied to cardboard box with the chamber zip tied open

which of the following fingerprint development techniques can be used following development with ninhydrin?

a. cyanoacrylate fuming

b. amido black

c. physical developer

d. none of the above

physical developer

which of the following tasks is not considered part of the preliminary walk through?

a. set up the scene boundaries

b. protect and collect evidence as needed

c. choose search patterns to be employed

d. note entry/exit points

set up scene boundaries

this common type of evidence is often considered to be the most fragile.

a. fibers

b. paint chips

c. latent prints

d. DNA samples

latent prints

this foundational principle of forensic science states “every contact leaves a trace”.

a. Linneaus’ exchange principle

b. Locard’s exchange principle

c. Crawfords exchange principle

d. Lee’s exchange principle

Locard’s exchange principle

in a case involving questioned documents, handwriting samples are collected from around the suspect’s home for comparison. such samples are known as:

a. unknown standards

b. request exemplars

c. non-request exemplars

d. counterfeit documents

non-request exemplars

what technique is used to illustrate that two pieces of evidence were once joined as a single object?

a. fragment matching

b. splinter matching

c. fracture matching

d. ballistics

fracture matching

fingerprint powder is most useful on:

a. porous surfaces

b. non-porous surfaces

c. wet surfaces

d. paper

non-porous surfaces

what evidence is required to complete gun shot residue (GSR) analysis? select all that apply.

a. victim’s outermost layer

b. suspect gun

c. suspect ammunition

d. the projectile that was fired

victim’s outermost layer, suspect gun, and suspect ammunition

officers are following a suspect who is fleeing on foot. the suspect turns into an alley ahead but by the time the officers catch up, the suspect is gone. the officers proceed to enter an unlocked door of a private residence that the suspect almost certainly ran through. this is allowable under what warrant exception.

a. inventory search

b. inevitable discovery

c. hot persuit

d. it is not allowable

it is not allowable

what is the most common form of evidence providing individual characteristics?

a. fingerprints

b. hair fibers

c. DNA

d. shoe prints

fingerprints

who is responsible for setting up physical barriers at a crime scene?

a. evidence technician

b. first responding officer

c. second responding officer

d. any of the above

first responding officer

True or False: both primary and secondary evidence are admissible in court under the inevitable discovery doctrine.

false

True or False: homicide scenes are considered exceptions to the warrant requirement

false

True or False: single use items should be used whenever possible when processing a scene

true

True or False: multimedia digital evidence should be packaged using packing peanuts

false

True or False: officials can investigate the cause of a fire without a warrant

true

True or False: cannibis should be packaged in airtight plastic bags to reduce odor

false

True or False: cyanoacrylate fuming is an irreversible process

true

True or False: abandoned property can be searched without a warrant

true

True or False: loose ammunition should be collected with metal tweezers to avoid damaging potential fingerprints

false

match the statement to the term.

Answer bank:

a. 4th amendment

b. patent

c. 6th amendment

d. functional

e. 14th amendment

f. area

g. latent

h. plastic

an approach to crime scene processing in which each team handles specific functions across the full area of the crime scene

functional

match the statement to the term.

Answer bank:

a. 4th amendment

b. patent

c. 6th amendment

d. functional

e. 14th amendment

f. area

g. latent

h. plastic

establishes the right to cross examine witnesses

6th amendment

match the statement to the term.

Answer bank:

a. 4th amendment

b. patent

c. 6th amendment

d. functional

e. 14th amendment

f. area

g. latent

h. plastic

the type of fingerprint left behind when a person touches a ball of clay

plastic

match the statement to the term.

Answer bank:

a. 4th amendment

b. patent

c. 6th amendment

d. functional

e. 14th amendment

f. area

g. latent

h. plastic

establishes protection against unreasonable search and seizure.

4th amendment

match the statement to the term.

Answer bank:

a. 4th amendment

b. patent

c. 6th amendment

d. functional

e. 14th amendment

f. area

g. latent

h. plastic

the type of print left behind by bloody fingers

patent

match the statement to the term.

Answer bank:

a. 4th amendment

b. patent

c. 6th amendment

d. functional

e. 14th amendment

f. area

g. latent

h. plastic

an approach to crime scene processing in which each team is responsible for all functions in a specific area

area

match the statement to the term.

Answer bank:

a. 4th amendment

b. patent

c. 6th amendment

d. functional

e. 14th amendment

f. area

g. latent

h. plastic

establishes right to a fair trial

14th amendment

match the statement to the term.

Answer bank:

a. 4th amendment

b. patent

c. 6th amendment

d. functional

e. 14th amendment

f. area

g. latent

h. plastic

these fingerprints must be developed to visualize them

latent

what are the 5 steps of crime scene processing?

1. secure the scene

2. access the scene

3. document the scene

4. process the scene for evidence

5. debrief/release the scene

why do fingerprints have such high evidentiary value?

they have unique characteristics, they remain relatively the same throughout someones lifetime, they have several characteristics that can be put in a classification system.

what rule was established by weeks v. United states (1914). briefly discuss it’s importance.

exclusionary rule: any evidence obtained illegally or without warrant is inadmissible. it’s important because it upholds the 4th amendment and protects the right of individuals from illegal searchers and illegal evidence collection.

provide two examples of instances in which trace evidence may have limited probative value.

small pieces of textiles from certain articles of clothing and trace evidence collected from locations where the suspects frequent.

briefly discuss how timing and specimen selection can affect the success of toxicological analysis.

specimen and timing can determine the quality and outcome of the tests conducted and amount of substance available for testing.

list at least 3 aspects of an ideal evidence storage facility.

1. limited access

2. control facility with security

3. temperature controlled