FORENSIC EXAM 1 QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS (GRADED A+)
Forensic science uses the scientific method - ANSWERObserve something in the
context of a crime
Does this something tell us about the events of the crime
Formulate a hypothesis
Test hypothesis using observations or experiment
Based on the results, revise hypothesis & repeat
Continue until data are in agreement w/ the hypothesis
What hypotheses are tested - ANSWERObserve facts collected & develop
measurements
How do scientists remain ethical when describing their findings - ANSWERKept
basic because presented w/ law, it could be confusing (fallibilism)
Fallibilism - ANSWERAwareness of what is not known and the humility to
acknowledge the possibility of making mistakes
Describe the effects early forensic scientists had on the field - ANSWERStarted in
medical then in a general sense
How did things change from the 17th to to the 21st century - ANSWER17th-18th
century: medicine
19th century: medicine, chemistry, law photography
20th century: fingerprints, microscopy, pathology, chemistry, etc
Explain how forensic scientists learn what they need to know - ANSWERchoosing
one part of the forensic sciences to directly focus on
Contamination - ANSWERthe unwanted transfer of material from another source not
related to the criminal action
Persistence - ANSWERthe ability of a transferred material to stay in contact with the
target
Class characteristics - ANSWERa trait or combination of traits unique to only one
object, shared by many
Individual characteristics - ANSWERunique to just one
Victor Balthazard (1852-1950) French - ANSWERadvanced fingerprint analyst who
proved finger prints were unique, published first book with Marcelle Lambert, first
forensic scientist to attempt to match a bullet to the weapon
, Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914) French - ANSWER"Father of Anthropometry"
developed a system to distinguish one individual person from another based on
certain body measurements (Bertillonage) descriptive information and photographs
stored on a card
Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911) English - ANSWERcredited with developing first
classification system for fingerprints which was adopted by the British government
Calvin Goddard (1891-1955) American - ANSWERcredited with establishing
scientific examination of firearms evidence in the U.S.
Hans Gross (1847-1915) Australian - ANSWERcredited with coining the term
criminalistics to describe forensic analysis of physical evidence
Dr. Joseph Bell (1837-1911) - ANSWERHe was a surgeon and doctor. In 1877, Sir
Aurthur Conan Doyle met him in medical school in Edinburgh. He based his
character, Sherlock Holmes on him because of the way Dr. Bell applied medicals,
analytical techniques to murders.
Edmond Locard (1877-1966) French - ANSWERdemonstrated how the principles
enunciated by Gross could be incorporated within a workable crime laboratory
(1910) every criminal can be connected to a crime by dust particles carried from the
crime scene.
Locard's exchange principle - ANSWERevery contact leaves a trace
Mathieu Orfila (1787-1853) Spanish, French Forensic Toxicologist - ANSWERfather
of forensic toxicology
Alexandre Lacassange (1843-1924) - ANSWERProfessor of forensic medicine at the
university of Lyon
decomposition, ballistics, bloodstains
advocated that society was responsible for crime not heredity
Public laboratories - ANSWERfunded by government such as states, counties, and
cities; not all laboratories are the same & all do something different even in different
states
Private laboratories - ANSWERbusinesses that are designed to make a profit; most
of these labs specialize in DNA and forensic toxicology
Civil Law - ANSWERcivil cases are between individuals or parties (lawsuit, or being
sued)
Criminal Law - ANSWERcriminal cases involve violation of criminal laws and involve
the government as the body that is charging an individual, individuals or companies
with violation of criminal law
Prosecution/Plaintiff - ANSWERthe party that files criminal charges
ANSWERS (GRADED A+)
Forensic science uses the scientific method - ANSWERObserve something in the
context of a crime
Does this something tell us about the events of the crime
Formulate a hypothesis
Test hypothesis using observations or experiment
Based on the results, revise hypothesis & repeat
Continue until data are in agreement w/ the hypothesis
What hypotheses are tested - ANSWERObserve facts collected & develop
measurements
How do scientists remain ethical when describing their findings - ANSWERKept
basic because presented w/ law, it could be confusing (fallibilism)
Fallibilism - ANSWERAwareness of what is not known and the humility to
acknowledge the possibility of making mistakes
Describe the effects early forensic scientists had on the field - ANSWERStarted in
medical then in a general sense
How did things change from the 17th to to the 21st century - ANSWER17th-18th
century: medicine
19th century: medicine, chemistry, law photography
20th century: fingerprints, microscopy, pathology, chemistry, etc
Explain how forensic scientists learn what they need to know - ANSWERchoosing
one part of the forensic sciences to directly focus on
Contamination - ANSWERthe unwanted transfer of material from another source not
related to the criminal action
Persistence - ANSWERthe ability of a transferred material to stay in contact with the
target
Class characteristics - ANSWERa trait or combination of traits unique to only one
object, shared by many
Individual characteristics - ANSWERunique to just one
Victor Balthazard (1852-1950) French - ANSWERadvanced fingerprint analyst who
proved finger prints were unique, published first book with Marcelle Lambert, first
forensic scientist to attempt to match a bullet to the weapon
, Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914) French - ANSWER"Father of Anthropometry"
developed a system to distinguish one individual person from another based on
certain body measurements (Bertillonage) descriptive information and photographs
stored on a card
Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911) English - ANSWERcredited with developing first
classification system for fingerprints which was adopted by the British government
Calvin Goddard (1891-1955) American - ANSWERcredited with establishing
scientific examination of firearms evidence in the U.S.
Hans Gross (1847-1915) Australian - ANSWERcredited with coining the term
criminalistics to describe forensic analysis of physical evidence
Dr. Joseph Bell (1837-1911) - ANSWERHe was a surgeon and doctor. In 1877, Sir
Aurthur Conan Doyle met him in medical school in Edinburgh. He based his
character, Sherlock Holmes on him because of the way Dr. Bell applied medicals,
analytical techniques to murders.
Edmond Locard (1877-1966) French - ANSWERdemonstrated how the principles
enunciated by Gross could be incorporated within a workable crime laboratory
(1910) every criminal can be connected to a crime by dust particles carried from the
crime scene.
Locard's exchange principle - ANSWERevery contact leaves a trace
Mathieu Orfila (1787-1853) Spanish, French Forensic Toxicologist - ANSWERfather
of forensic toxicology
Alexandre Lacassange (1843-1924) - ANSWERProfessor of forensic medicine at the
university of Lyon
decomposition, ballistics, bloodstains
advocated that society was responsible for crime not heredity
Public laboratories - ANSWERfunded by government such as states, counties, and
cities; not all laboratories are the same & all do something different even in different
states
Private laboratories - ANSWERbusinesses that are designed to make a profit; most
of these labs specialize in DNA and forensic toxicology
Civil Law - ANSWERcivil cases are between individuals or parties (lawsuit, or being
sued)
Criminal Law - ANSWERcriminal cases involve violation of criminal laws and involve
the government as the body that is charging an individual, individuals or companies
with violation of criminal law
Prosecution/Plaintiff - ANSWERthe party that files criminal charges
