Forensic Science Final Exam|553 Correct Q’s and
A’s
forensic science - -apply science to law, technology of science to definition
and enforcement of laws, apply science to the criminal and civil laws that are
enforced by police
-3 ways that forensic scientists are involved - -confessions (room for bias),
eyewitness accounts by victims and witnesses (room for bias), evaluation of
physical evidence (free of bias)
-job of a forensic scientist - -analyze physical evidence, testify in courtroom
-expert testimony - -satisfy trial judge that he or she possess particular skill
or has knowledge in a trade or profession that will aid the court in
determining the truth of a matter of issue
-toxicology - -analysis of bodily specimens and other materials for
chemicals such as illicit drugs, medications, poisons, and metals (autopsy)
-DNA profiling - -comparing DNA samples from different locations and
determining the probability of matches
-forensic pathology - -identification of deceased, determine time, cause,
manner of death
-manner of death - -natural, homicide, suicide, accident, undetermined
-forensic anthropology - -identification and examination of human skeletal
remains
-forensic entomology - -study insects in relation to a criminal investigation,
examining time of death, if the body has moved
-forensic odontology - -use characteristics of teeth, alignment, and overall
structure
-areas of forensic science - -arson investigations, ballistics, forensic
accountants, forensic microbiology
-first test to detect arsenic in a corpse - -1775
-A Treatise on Forensic Medicine & Public Health, Francois Emanuel Dodéré -
-1798, start looking at these poisons that are used to kill other people
, -Valentin Ross improved methods for detecting arsenic in stomach lining - -
1806
-first treatise on detection of poisons and their effects on animals by
Mathieu Orfilia, the "Father of Forensic Toxicology" - -1814
-microscopy used to detect spermatozoa - -1839
-toxicologic evidence first used at a trial, James Marsh (the Marsh test) - -
1839
-first presumptive test for blood - -1863
-anthropology and morphology applied as a system of personal
identification, Alphonse Bertillon the "Father of Criminal Identification" - -
1879
-Thomas Taylor proposed using fingerprints as a scientific means of
identification - -1877
-Henry Faulds made similar assertion as Taylor in a paper published in
Nature - -1880
-Francis Henry Galton, 1st definitive study of fingerprints and methodology
of classification, Finger Prints - -1892
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1st novel with the character Sherlock Holmes - -
1887
-Karl Landsteiner described the ABO blood group system - -1901
-Leone Lattes, developed method to test died blood for AB blood group
antigens - -1915
-Edmund Locard, 1st police laboratory (France) - -1910
-Locard's exchange principle - -when two objects come in contact with one
another, materials are exchanged between them
-Modern scientific advances - -computer technology (car paint, shoe prints),
electrophoresis and chromatography (toxicology), DNA typing (profiling)
-Sir Alec Jeffreys developed first profiling test - -1989, Jeffreys testified in
court with DNA profile from rape victim
-oldest crime lab in US established - -1923 Los Angeles, CA
, -FBI organized a national laboratory and offered forensic science services to
all other law enforcement agencies in the US - -1932
-securing the crime scene - -treat the scene as if the crime is still occurring;
obtain medical attention if needed; law enforcement agents should never do
anything to alter the crime scene
-documentation - -crime scene log, note taking, evidence log, sketch,
photographs
-crime scene log - -who came and who went
-note taking - -everyone at the scene, notes on things that happened
-evidence log - -record the evidence that was found, who found it, what
time, and where it was located
-sketch - -helps in order to reconstruct the crime scene
-photographs - -use a photo log sheet, use scale
-physical evidence - -body fluids, fingerprints (visible and latent), hair,
drugs, weapons, impressions, arson & bomb evidence
-trace evidence - -present in small amounts, items may be small in itself
-questioned or unknown sample - -do not know the original source of the
evidence, comparable
-reference or known sample - -known where the sample originated
-Evidence collection "kit" - -large number of tools and packaging material;
flashlight, alternate light source, magnifying glass, forceps, swabs, scalpels
-protection of the evidence - -gloves, shoe covers, face masks, containers
(bags, envelopes, etc.), labeling tape
-handling evidence - -must prevent changes in physical evidence, prevent
contamination, should not normally remove trace evidence from garments or
other material, frequently change gloves
-Packaging and transporting evidence - -need a large assortment of
packaging materials and containers, package items separately, avoid heat
and humidity, allow wet items to air dry, biological materials (only use
, disposable containers that are not airtight), label properly and seal, prevent
evaporation of liquids
-crime scene safety - -standard precautions, blood borne pathogens (BBP),
personal protective equipment (PPE), bioterrorist attacks require special
precautions
-DNA evidence - -only minute quantities are necessary for testing, touch
DNA tests, because DNA tests are very sensitive they are prone to
contamination, DNA deposited in a variety of types of physical evidence
-Locard's Exchange Principle - -evidential value of demonstrating transfer
between victim and suspect
-emergency department - -victims of assault, must follow proper collection
procedure and chain of custody, certified sexual assault nursing examiner or
forensic nurse examiner
-fourth amendment - -protects individuals against unreasonable search and
seizure
-exceptions to the fourth amendment - -consent search, plain view doctrine,
open field, emergency exception
-chain of custody - -continuity of possession of physical evidence must
account for every person who has handled the evidence
-known evidence - -important to collect for comparison
-submitting evidence - -usually in person, evidence submissions form: brief
description of the case
-forensic entomology - -the study and interpretation of the insect evidence
collected to aid in legal investigations
-death investigations - -post mortem interval, cause of death, determine if
the corpse was moved, associate suspects with the death scene
-equipment for forensic entomology - -hand net, containers, vials of 70%
ETOH
-collecting at the death scene - -look for the oldest specimens (largest)
-death scene form for entomological evidence - -body location very
important (decompose differently, different insects attracted to the body)
A’s
forensic science - -apply science to law, technology of science to definition
and enforcement of laws, apply science to the criminal and civil laws that are
enforced by police
-3 ways that forensic scientists are involved - -confessions (room for bias),
eyewitness accounts by victims and witnesses (room for bias), evaluation of
physical evidence (free of bias)
-job of a forensic scientist - -analyze physical evidence, testify in courtroom
-expert testimony - -satisfy trial judge that he or she possess particular skill
or has knowledge in a trade or profession that will aid the court in
determining the truth of a matter of issue
-toxicology - -analysis of bodily specimens and other materials for
chemicals such as illicit drugs, medications, poisons, and metals (autopsy)
-DNA profiling - -comparing DNA samples from different locations and
determining the probability of matches
-forensic pathology - -identification of deceased, determine time, cause,
manner of death
-manner of death - -natural, homicide, suicide, accident, undetermined
-forensic anthropology - -identification and examination of human skeletal
remains
-forensic entomology - -study insects in relation to a criminal investigation,
examining time of death, if the body has moved
-forensic odontology - -use characteristics of teeth, alignment, and overall
structure
-areas of forensic science - -arson investigations, ballistics, forensic
accountants, forensic microbiology
-first test to detect arsenic in a corpse - -1775
-A Treatise on Forensic Medicine & Public Health, Francois Emanuel Dodéré -
-1798, start looking at these poisons that are used to kill other people
, -Valentin Ross improved methods for detecting arsenic in stomach lining - -
1806
-first treatise on detection of poisons and their effects on animals by
Mathieu Orfilia, the "Father of Forensic Toxicology" - -1814
-microscopy used to detect spermatozoa - -1839
-toxicologic evidence first used at a trial, James Marsh (the Marsh test) - -
1839
-first presumptive test for blood - -1863
-anthropology and morphology applied as a system of personal
identification, Alphonse Bertillon the "Father of Criminal Identification" - -
1879
-Thomas Taylor proposed using fingerprints as a scientific means of
identification - -1877
-Henry Faulds made similar assertion as Taylor in a paper published in
Nature - -1880
-Francis Henry Galton, 1st definitive study of fingerprints and methodology
of classification, Finger Prints - -1892
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1st novel with the character Sherlock Holmes - -
1887
-Karl Landsteiner described the ABO blood group system - -1901
-Leone Lattes, developed method to test died blood for AB blood group
antigens - -1915
-Edmund Locard, 1st police laboratory (France) - -1910
-Locard's exchange principle - -when two objects come in contact with one
another, materials are exchanged between them
-Modern scientific advances - -computer technology (car paint, shoe prints),
electrophoresis and chromatography (toxicology), DNA typing (profiling)
-Sir Alec Jeffreys developed first profiling test - -1989, Jeffreys testified in
court with DNA profile from rape victim
-oldest crime lab in US established - -1923 Los Angeles, CA
, -FBI organized a national laboratory and offered forensic science services to
all other law enforcement agencies in the US - -1932
-securing the crime scene - -treat the scene as if the crime is still occurring;
obtain medical attention if needed; law enforcement agents should never do
anything to alter the crime scene
-documentation - -crime scene log, note taking, evidence log, sketch,
photographs
-crime scene log - -who came and who went
-note taking - -everyone at the scene, notes on things that happened
-evidence log - -record the evidence that was found, who found it, what
time, and where it was located
-sketch - -helps in order to reconstruct the crime scene
-photographs - -use a photo log sheet, use scale
-physical evidence - -body fluids, fingerprints (visible and latent), hair,
drugs, weapons, impressions, arson & bomb evidence
-trace evidence - -present in small amounts, items may be small in itself
-questioned or unknown sample - -do not know the original source of the
evidence, comparable
-reference or known sample - -known where the sample originated
-Evidence collection "kit" - -large number of tools and packaging material;
flashlight, alternate light source, magnifying glass, forceps, swabs, scalpels
-protection of the evidence - -gloves, shoe covers, face masks, containers
(bags, envelopes, etc.), labeling tape
-handling evidence - -must prevent changes in physical evidence, prevent
contamination, should not normally remove trace evidence from garments or
other material, frequently change gloves
-Packaging and transporting evidence - -need a large assortment of
packaging materials and containers, package items separately, avoid heat
and humidity, allow wet items to air dry, biological materials (only use
, disposable containers that are not airtight), label properly and seal, prevent
evaporation of liquids
-crime scene safety - -standard precautions, blood borne pathogens (BBP),
personal protective equipment (PPE), bioterrorist attacks require special
precautions
-DNA evidence - -only minute quantities are necessary for testing, touch
DNA tests, because DNA tests are very sensitive they are prone to
contamination, DNA deposited in a variety of types of physical evidence
-Locard's Exchange Principle - -evidential value of demonstrating transfer
between victim and suspect
-emergency department - -victims of assault, must follow proper collection
procedure and chain of custody, certified sexual assault nursing examiner or
forensic nurse examiner
-fourth amendment - -protects individuals against unreasonable search and
seizure
-exceptions to the fourth amendment - -consent search, plain view doctrine,
open field, emergency exception
-chain of custody - -continuity of possession of physical evidence must
account for every person who has handled the evidence
-known evidence - -important to collect for comparison
-submitting evidence - -usually in person, evidence submissions form: brief
description of the case
-forensic entomology - -the study and interpretation of the insect evidence
collected to aid in legal investigations
-death investigations - -post mortem interval, cause of death, determine if
the corpse was moved, associate suspects with the death scene
-equipment for forensic entomology - -hand net, containers, vials of 70%
ETOH
-collecting at the death scene - -look for the oldest specimens (largest)
-death scene form for entomological evidence - -body location very
important (decompose differently, different insects attracted to the body)
