Forensic Science: Crime Scene Evidence, Analysis, and Documentation

Identification

The process of __________ determines a substance's physical or chemical identity with as near absolute certainty as existing analytical techniques will permit.

Eliminate

The number and type of tests needed to identify a substance must be sufficient to __________ all other substances from consideration.

Comparison

A(n) __________ analysis subjects a suspect specimen and a standard/reference specimen to the same tests and examination in order to determine whether they have a common origin.

Probability

__________ is the frequency of occurrence of an event.

Individual

Evidence that can be traced to a common source with an extremely high degree of probability is said to possess __________ characteristics.

Class

Evidence associated with a group and not with a single source is said to possess __________ characteristics.

True

True or False: One of the major deficiencies of forensic science is the inability of the examiner to assign exact or approximate probability values to the comparison of most class physical evidence.

Associate

The value of class physical evidence lies in its ability to __________ events with data in a manner that is, as nearly as possible, free of human error and bias.

Weight

The __________ accorded physical evidence during a trial is left entirely to the trier of fact.

Experience

Although databases are consistently updated so that scientists can assign probabilities to class evidence, for the most part, forensic scientists must rely on __________ when interpreting the significance of class physical evidence.

Eyewitness

The believability of __________ accounts, confessions, and informant testimony can all be disputed, maligned, and subjected to severe attack and skepticism in the courtroom.

False

True or False: Physical evidence cannot be used to exclude or exonerate a person from suspicion of committing a crime.

False

True or False: The distinction between individual and class evidence is always easy to make.

True

True or False: Given the potential weight of scientific evidence in a trial setting, failure to take proper safeguards may unfairly prejudice a case against the suspect.

Experience

Students studying forensic science must be cautioned that merely reading relevant textbooks and journals is no substitute for __________ in this most practical of sciences.

Variability

Modern analytical techniques have become so sensitive that the forensic examiner must be aware of the __________ among materials when interpreting the significance of comparative data.

False

True or False: A fingerprint can be positively identified through the IAFIS database.

CODIS

A database applicable to DNA profiling is __________.

NIBIN

The __________ database allows firearm analysts to compare markings made by firearms on bullets that have been recovered from crime scenes.

PDQ

The __________ database contains chemical and color information pertaining to original automotive paints.

Physical evidence

The term __________ encompasses all objects that can establish or disprove whether a crime has been committed or can link a crime and its victim or its perpetrator.

False

True or False: Scientific evaluation of crime-scene evidence can usually overcome the results of a poorly conducted criminal investigation.

False

True or False: The techniques of physical evidence collection require a highly skilled individual who must specialize in this area of investigation.

Excluded

All unauthorized personnel must be __________ from crime scenes.

True

True or False: Failure to protect a crime scene properly may result in the destruction or altering of evidence.

First officer

The __________ arriving on the scene of a crime is responsible for taking steps to preserve and protect the area to the greatest extent possible, and they must rely on their training to deal with any violent or hazardous circumstances.

Medical assistance

At a crime scene, first priority should be given to obtaining __________ for individuals in need of it and attempting to minimize disturbance of evidence.

False

True or False: The boundaries of the crime scene, denoted by crime-scene tape, rope, or traffic cones, should encompass only the center of the scene where the crime occurred.

Entry log

Even though no unauthorized personnel are admitted to the scene, an accurate __________ must be kept of those who enter and exit the scene and the time they do so.

False

True or False: The lead investigator will immediately proceed to gain an overview of the situation and develop a strategy for the systematic examination of the crime scene during the final survey.

Notes, photographs, sketches

Three methods for recording the crime scene are __________, __________, and __________.

True

True or False: Note-taking begins with the call to a crime-scene investigator to report to a scene.

First officer

The crime-scene notes should include a precise record of personnel movements in and out of the scene starting with the __________.

False

True or False: Crime-scene notes should be written from memory back at the laboratory.

Notes

Before located evidence is collected, it must be fully described in the investigator's __________.

False

True or False: When an injured or deceased victim is present at the scene, the state of the body before being moved should be observed but not recorded.

Unaltered

The most important prerequisite for photographing a crime scene is to have it in a(n) __________ condition.

Close-up photographs

Photographs of physical evidence must include overviews as well as __________ to record the details of objects.

False

True or False: The value of crime-scene photographs lies in their ability to show the layout of the scene, position of witnesses, and relation of people to one another in the scene.

Single-lens reflex (SLR)

The most commonly used camera for crime-scene photography is the __________ camera, which can be film or digital.

CCD

A digital camera captures light on a light-sensitive __________.

True

True or False: Each crime scene should be photographed as completely as possible in a logical succession, and the photographs should include the area in which the crime actually took place and all adjacent areas where important acts occurred.

Overview

The succession of photographs taken at a crime scene is __________ photographs first...

Close-up

...and __________ photographs last.

False

True or False: Overview photographs should include only points of entry and points of exit.

Guidelines

Many jurisdictions have developed __________ for the use of digital photography to ensure that the images presented in court are accurate and free of enhancement or doctoring.

Sketching

The process of __________ the crime scene essentially combines the best features of note-taking and photography.

Finished sketch

Unlike the rough sketch, the __________ is constructed with care and concern for aesthetic appearance.

Computer-aided design (CAD)

__________ programs can create a finished crime-scene sketch, provide an extensive library of crime-scene symbols, and even create three-dimensional sketches.

Rough sketch

The investigator needs only to draw a(n) __________ at the crime scene.

Systematic

A detailed __________ search of the crime scene for physical evidence must be conducted.

Physical evidence

The search for __________ at a crime scene must be thorough and systematic.

False

True or False: The standard crime-scene search patterns include line, grid, spiral, zone/quadrant, and polar coordinate searches.

False

True or False: If evidence is not initially recognized, the expertise of the crime laboratory can usually salvage the situation.

Fragments

Besides the more obvious items of physical evidence, possible __________ of trace evidence must also be collected.

Removed

Whenever possible, trace evidence is to be __________ from the object that bears it.

Separate

Each item collected at the crime scene must be placed in a __________ container.

False

True or False: An ordinary mailing envelope is considered a good general-purpose evidence container.

Not recommended

A(n) __________ container is recommended packaging material for bloodstained garments.

Air-dried

As a matter of routine, all items of clothing are to be __________ before packaging.

False

True or False: Charred debris recovered from the scene of an arson should be placed in a porous container.

Chain of custody

The possibility of future legal proceedings requires that a __________ be established with respect to the possession and location of physical evidence.

Known

Most physical evidence collected at the crime scene will require the accompanying submission of __________ material for comparison purposes.

General exploratory

In Mincey v. Arizona, the Supreme Court restricted the practice of conducting a(n) __________ search at a homicide scene.

Fire

In Michigan v. Tyler, the Supreme Court dealt with search-and-seizure procedures at a __________ scene.

Forensic science

__________ is the application of science to law.

Sherlock Holmes

The fictional detective whose exploits inspired generations of forensic scientists was __________.

Alphonse Bertillon

__________ devised a system of personal identification using body measurements.

Francis Galton

__________ conducted the first statistical study proving the uniqueness of fingerprints.

Leone Lattes

__________ devised the first workable procedure for typing dried bloodstains.

Calvin Goddard

The comparison microscope became an indispensable tool of firearms examination through the efforts of __________.

Albert S. Osborn

Early scientific document examination is associated with __________.

Hans Gross

The Austrian magistrate who first advocated applying science to criminal investigation was __________.

Edmond Locard

The first modern crime laboratory in Lyons, France, was established by __________.

Locard's Exchange Principle

The principle stating that every contact leaves a trace is known as __________.

Los Angeles Police Department

The first crime laboratory in the United States was established in 1923 by the __________.

California

__________ is an excellent example of a geographical area in the United States that has created a system of integrated regional and satellite laboratories.

Government

Britain's crime laboratory system is characterized by a national system of __________ laboratories.

Drug

The increasing demand for __________ analyses has been the single most important factor in the expansion of crime laboratory services.

FBI

One important federal agency offering forensic services is the __________.

DEA

One important federal agency offering forensic services is the __________.

ATF

One important federal agency offering forensic services is the __________.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service

One important federal agency offering forensic services is the __________.

Federal

A decentralized system of crime laboratories exists at the __________ level of government.

State

A decentralized system of crime laboratories exists at the __________ level of government.

County

A decentralized system of crime laboratories exists at the __________ level of government.

Municipal

A decentralized system of crime laboratories exists at the __________ level of government.

Physical Science Unit

The __________ applies chemistry, physics, and geology to the identification and comparison of crime-scene evidence.

Biology Unit

The __________ examines blood, body fluids, hairs, fibers, botanical materials, and DNA.

Firearms Unit

The __________ examines firearms, discharged bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells, ammunition, gunshot residue, and toolmarks.

Document Examination Unit

The __________ examines handwriting, ink, paper, printing processes, alterations, obliterations, charred documents, and other questioned documents.

Photography Unit

The __________ examines and records crime scenes and evidence using photographic techniques.

Toxicology Unit

The __________ examines body fluids and organs for drugs and poisons.

Latent Fingerprint Unit

The __________ processes and compares fingerprints developed from crime scenes.

Polygraph Unit

The __________ uses physiological responses to evaluate truthfulness during questioning.

Voiceprint Analysis Unit

The __________ compares and analyzes recorded speech samples for identification.

Crime-Scene Investigation Unit

The __________ dispatches trained personnel to crime scenes to recognize, collect, preserve, and package physical evidence.

Forensic Pathology Unit

The __________ investigates sudden, unnatural, unexplained, or violent deaths.

Forensic Anthropology

__________ is concerned primarily with the identification and examination of human skeletal remains.

Forensic Entomology

__________ estimates time since death by studying insects associated with decomposing remains.