Psych 317 CSUF Exam 3 – Study Guide, Practice Questions & Psychology Exam
Review
What is biological evidence? - ANS ✔✔blood, saliva, semen, skin cells - which allows for the
possibility of DNA identification
What is trace evidence? - ANS ✔✔Physical evidence left at or transported from the scene of a
crime (e.g., fibers from clothes, tire prints from a car, sole prints from a shoe, fingerprints, hair,
skin cells, blood, saliva, or semen).
How are shoe prints used? - ANS ✔✔Shoe prints help because each shoe has a unique print
because of the wear of the shoe
What is biometrics? - ANS ✔✔the identification of an individual person based on distinctive,
measurable anatomical or behavioral traits
How are fingerprints examined and suspects ruled out based on them - ANS ✔✔Count points of
similarity (ridge characteristics) as a means of matching two fingerprints
Use the computer to get a list of possible matches and then a person examines from there
Someone is excluded as a suspect based on fingerprints if tiny ridge characteristics are dissimilar
enough
The simplest approach to communicating the strength of a match - ANS ✔✔A qualitative
statement — a subjective assessment of whether a match is weak or moderate or strong
What is a simple match? - ANS ✔✔the expert merely says that the trace and the source share
certain characteristics
, What is match plus statistics? - ANS ✔✔statement incorporates statistics that place the match
in context. Typically, such statistics give information about how rare or common a particular
matching characteristic is in the relevant population
What is individualization? - ANS ✔✔This form of testimony requires that the forensic analyst be
able to say that the match is so detailed and perfect that the trace could only have come from
one person
Is forensic evidence subjective? - ANS ✔✔The decision about the degree of match is subjective,
and the distinctions between degrees are rhetorical rather than mathematical
What is reliability? - ANS ✔✔refers to the consistency or repeatability of a measure or
observation
What is validity? - ANS ✔✔refers to whether or not a technique measures what it is supposed
to measure
What is competency for court purposes? CST, Foundational competence and decisional
competence - ANS ✔✔CST is the psychological state of the defendant at the time of the trial
Foundational Competence - a basic understanding of the trial process as well as the capacity to
provide a lawyer with information relevant to the trial
Decisional Competence - the capacity to make informed, independent decisions
What role does mental illness play in CST? - ANS ✔✔Over 2/3 of individuals suffering from
severe disorders were still found competent to stand trial
The mere presence of a mental illness does not necessarily affect the defendant's trial-related
abilities
Who bears the burden of proof in competency? - ANS ✔✔The defense bears the burden of
proving that the defendant is incompetent
Review
What is biological evidence? - ANS ✔✔blood, saliva, semen, skin cells - which allows for the
possibility of DNA identification
What is trace evidence? - ANS ✔✔Physical evidence left at or transported from the scene of a
crime (e.g., fibers from clothes, tire prints from a car, sole prints from a shoe, fingerprints, hair,
skin cells, blood, saliva, or semen).
How are shoe prints used? - ANS ✔✔Shoe prints help because each shoe has a unique print
because of the wear of the shoe
What is biometrics? - ANS ✔✔the identification of an individual person based on distinctive,
measurable anatomical or behavioral traits
How are fingerprints examined and suspects ruled out based on them - ANS ✔✔Count points of
similarity (ridge characteristics) as a means of matching two fingerprints
Use the computer to get a list of possible matches and then a person examines from there
Someone is excluded as a suspect based on fingerprints if tiny ridge characteristics are dissimilar
enough
The simplest approach to communicating the strength of a match - ANS ✔✔A qualitative
statement — a subjective assessment of whether a match is weak or moderate or strong
What is a simple match? - ANS ✔✔the expert merely says that the trace and the source share
certain characteristics
, What is match plus statistics? - ANS ✔✔statement incorporates statistics that place the match
in context. Typically, such statistics give information about how rare or common a particular
matching characteristic is in the relevant population
What is individualization? - ANS ✔✔This form of testimony requires that the forensic analyst be
able to say that the match is so detailed and perfect that the trace could only have come from
one person
Is forensic evidence subjective? - ANS ✔✔The decision about the degree of match is subjective,
and the distinctions between degrees are rhetorical rather than mathematical
What is reliability? - ANS ✔✔refers to the consistency or repeatability of a measure or
observation
What is validity? - ANS ✔✔refers to whether or not a technique measures what it is supposed
to measure
What is competency for court purposes? CST, Foundational competence and decisional
competence - ANS ✔✔CST is the psychological state of the defendant at the time of the trial
Foundational Competence - a basic understanding of the trial process as well as the capacity to
provide a lawyer with information relevant to the trial
Decisional Competence - the capacity to make informed, independent decisions
What role does mental illness play in CST? - ANS ✔✔Over 2/3 of individuals suffering from
severe disorders were still found competent to stand trial
The mere presence of a mental illness does not necessarily affect the defendant's trial-related
abilities
Who bears the burden of proof in competency? - ANS ✔✔The defense bears the burden of
proving that the defendant is incompetent
