Criminalistics Exam 1
expert witness - ANSA person who an demonstrate a particular skill or has knowledge in a trade
or profession that will help the court determine the truth of the matter at issue
Locard's exchange principle - ANSWhenever two objects come into contact with one another,
there is exchange of materials between them
scientific method - ANSA process that uses strict guidelines to ensure careful and systematic
collection, organization, and analysis of information
physical evidence - ANSAny object that can establish that a crime has or has not been omitted
or can link a crime and its victim or its perpetrator
rough sketch - ANSA draft representation of all essential information and measurements at a
crime scene. This sketch is drawn at the crime scene.
finished sketch - ANSA precise rendering of the crime scene, usually drawn to scale
chain of custody - ANSA list of all people who came into possession of an item of evidence
standard/reference sample - ANSPhysical evidence whose origin is known, such as fibers or
hair from a suspect, that can be compared to a crime-scene evidence
buccal swab - ANSA swab of the inner portion of the cheek; cheek cells are usually collected to
determine the DNA profile of an individual
substrate control - ANSUncontaminated surface material close to an area where physical
evidence has been deposited. This sample is to be used to ensure that the surface on which a
sample has been deposited does not interfere with laboratory tests
algor mortis - ANSA process that occurs after death in which the body temperature continually
cools until it reaches the ambient or room temperature
class characteristics - ANSProperties of evidence that can be associated only with a group and
never with a single source
comparison - ANSThe process of ascertaining whether two or more objects have a common
origin
, identification - ANSThe process of determining a substance's physical or chemical identity. Drug
analysis, species determination, and explosive residue analysis are typical examples of this
undertaking in a forensic setting
individual characteristics - ANSProperties of evidence that can be attributed to a common
source with an extremely high degree of certainty
livor mortis - ANSA medical condition that occurs after death and results in settling of blood in
areas of the body closest to the ground
product rule - ANSMultiplying together the frequencies of independently occurring genetic
markers to obtain an overall frequency of occurrence for a genetic profile
rigor mortis - ANSA medical condition that occurs after death and results in the stiffening of
muscle mass. The rigidity of the body begins within 24 hours of death and disappears within 36
hours of death
rapid DNA - ANSA process for developing DNA profiles from a buccal swab in 90 minutes or
less that are compatible with a CODIS search
angle of impact - ANSThe acute angle formed between the path of a blood drop and the surface
that it contacts
area of convergence - ANSThe area on a two-dimensional plane where lines traced through the
long axis of several individual bloodstains meet; this approximates the two-dimensional place
from which the bloodstains were projected
area of origin - ANSThe location in three-dimensional space from which blood that produced a
bloodstain originated; the location of the area of convergence and the angle of impact for each
bloodstain is used to approximate this area
arterial spray - ANSA characteristic bloodstain pattern containing spurts that resulted from blood
exiting under pressure from an arterial injury
back spatter - ANSBlood directed back toward the source of the force that caused the spatter
cast-off - ANSA bloodstain pattern that is created when blood is flung from a blood-bearing
object in motion onto a surface
crime-scene reconstruction - ANSThe method used to support a likely sequence of events at a
crime scene by the observation and evaluation of physical evidence and statements made by
individuals involved with the incident
expert witness - ANSA person who an demonstrate a particular skill or has knowledge in a trade
or profession that will help the court determine the truth of the matter at issue
Locard's exchange principle - ANSWhenever two objects come into contact with one another,
there is exchange of materials between them
scientific method - ANSA process that uses strict guidelines to ensure careful and systematic
collection, organization, and analysis of information
physical evidence - ANSAny object that can establish that a crime has or has not been omitted
or can link a crime and its victim or its perpetrator
rough sketch - ANSA draft representation of all essential information and measurements at a
crime scene. This sketch is drawn at the crime scene.
finished sketch - ANSA precise rendering of the crime scene, usually drawn to scale
chain of custody - ANSA list of all people who came into possession of an item of evidence
standard/reference sample - ANSPhysical evidence whose origin is known, such as fibers or
hair from a suspect, that can be compared to a crime-scene evidence
buccal swab - ANSA swab of the inner portion of the cheek; cheek cells are usually collected to
determine the DNA profile of an individual
substrate control - ANSUncontaminated surface material close to an area where physical
evidence has been deposited. This sample is to be used to ensure that the surface on which a
sample has been deposited does not interfere with laboratory tests
algor mortis - ANSA process that occurs after death in which the body temperature continually
cools until it reaches the ambient or room temperature
class characteristics - ANSProperties of evidence that can be associated only with a group and
never with a single source
comparison - ANSThe process of ascertaining whether two or more objects have a common
origin
, identification - ANSThe process of determining a substance's physical or chemical identity. Drug
analysis, species determination, and explosive residue analysis are typical examples of this
undertaking in a forensic setting
individual characteristics - ANSProperties of evidence that can be attributed to a common
source with an extremely high degree of certainty
livor mortis - ANSA medical condition that occurs after death and results in settling of blood in
areas of the body closest to the ground
product rule - ANSMultiplying together the frequencies of independently occurring genetic
markers to obtain an overall frequency of occurrence for a genetic profile
rigor mortis - ANSA medical condition that occurs after death and results in the stiffening of
muscle mass. The rigidity of the body begins within 24 hours of death and disappears within 36
hours of death
rapid DNA - ANSA process for developing DNA profiles from a buccal swab in 90 minutes or
less that are compatible with a CODIS search
angle of impact - ANSThe acute angle formed between the path of a blood drop and the surface
that it contacts
area of convergence - ANSThe area on a two-dimensional plane where lines traced through the
long axis of several individual bloodstains meet; this approximates the two-dimensional place
from which the bloodstains were projected
area of origin - ANSThe location in three-dimensional space from which blood that produced a
bloodstain originated; the location of the area of convergence and the angle of impact for each
bloodstain is used to approximate this area
arterial spray - ANSA characteristic bloodstain pattern containing spurts that resulted from blood
exiting under pressure from an arterial injury
back spatter - ANSBlood directed back toward the source of the force that caused the spatter
cast-off - ANSA bloodstain pattern that is created when blood is flung from a blood-bearing
object in motion onto a surface
crime-scene reconstruction - ANSThe method used to support a likely sequence of events at a
crime scene by the observation and evaluation of physical evidence and statements made by
individuals involved with the incident
