FORENSIC FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
100% ANSWERED
What does forensics mean? - ANSWERforum
What are forensic scientist responsibilities? - ANSWER1. Performing scientific
analysis 2. Offering expert testimonies in criminal and civil proceedings
How do you become a forensic scientist? - ANSWERBA in science and graduate
programs focus on application of science to forensic work and aspects of law,
criminal investigation, and criminal justice process-educational programs are not
designed to directly prepare graduates for immediate work on cases -formal training
and on the job training begins after hired by lab
What services are available in a public forensic lab? - ANSWERGovernment owned
and operatedProvide evidentiary analysis in multiple forensic disciplines30%
outsource to private labsBacklog of over million requests for forensic services -
biology accounted for 33% of all requests about 75% of the total backlog was for
these types of requests
What is a private forensic lab? - ANSWERIndependently owned and operated-
specialized labs (only one or two types of analysis)-private consultant-provides
service to public as defendant or to other labs but at a cost
Perform only one or two types of servicesPrivate consultantService to the
publicDefendantOther forensic laboratories
What happens at a crime scene? - ANSWEREach crime scene is uniqueVariations
include: crime committed, location, items used, people involvedInvestigators must be
flexible and creativeMany crime scenes offer situations where guidelines cannot be
followedIndividual responsible for comprehensively and accurately collecting,
documenting, and transmitting evidence to the laboratory is the crime scene
investigator
What is the chain of custody? - ANSWERdocumentation or paper trail showing
custody, control, transfer and analysis of everyone who comes in contact with the
specimens
What are ethical issues that forensic scientists deal with? - ANSWERTechnically
competent and employ reliable and validated methods of analysisHonest about their
qualifications and staring within their area(s) of expertiseIntellectually honest about
their data, conclusions, and opinionsObjective when reviewing evidence and
testifying as an expert
What is quality assurance and control? - ANSWERQuality Assurance a set of
processes that can evaluate a lab and its personnel to determine if they are
achieving or maintain a given level of quality (ex. ASCLD). Quality Control a set of
, processes and procedures put in place in a lab to be followed by personnel so that a
desired level of quality can be achieved (ex. quality manuals, written procedures)
ASCLD, - ANSWERAmerican Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
ABC, - ANSWERaspiration biopsy cytology
OSAC - ANSWER(Organization of Scientific Area Committees) coordinates the
development of standards and guidelines that improve the quality and reliability of
evidence produced by forensic science
AAFS, - ANSWERAmerican Academy of Forensic Science, the largest forensic
science organization in the world
FEPAC, - ANSWERForensic Science Education Program Accreditation Commission
ASTM - ANSWERAmerican Society for Testing and Materials
What is demonstrative evidence? - ANSWER1) There is something we need to look
at
Ex. Faulty machinery, if something broke, tangible evidence
What is Locard's principle? - ANSWER- every contact leaves a trace
- there's always a transference of material from one object to another when any 2
objects come into contact with each other
What are false positives and negatives? - ANSWERFalse negative control a false
positive conclusion results when a test is determined to be positive and it is incorrect
(type I error, person could be falsely accused)
False positive control a false negative conclusion results when a test is determined
to be negative and it is incorrect (type II error, person could be falsely exonerated)
How is evidence be individualized? - ANSWERIndividualization of an object means
that it can be classified into a group with only one member
What is real evidence? - ANSWERevidence that consists of physical material or
traces of physical activity
What is individual evidence - ANSWERThings that can be narrowed down to a
unique, single, specific source
what is demonstrative evidence? - ANSWER1) There is something we need to look
at
Ex. Faulty machinery, if something broke, tangible evidence
Who makes decisions on validity of evidence and who decides when expert
testimony is needed? - ANSWERJudge
What is the admissibility of evidence? - ANSWERAdmissible evidence is any
document, testimony, or tangible evidence used in a court of law. Evidence is
100% ANSWERED
What does forensics mean? - ANSWERforum
What are forensic scientist responsibilities? - ANSWER1. Performing scientific
analysis 2. Offering expert testimonies in criminal and civil proceedings
How do you become a forensic scientist? - ANSWERBA in science and graduate
programs focus on application of science to forensic work and aspects of law,
criminal investigation, and criminal justice process-educational programs are not
designed to directly prepare graduates for immediate work on cases -formal training
and on the job training begins after hired by lab
What services are available in a public forensic lab? - ANSWERGovernment owned
and operatedProvide evidentiary analysis in multiple forensic disciplines30%
outsource to private labsBacklog of over million requests for forensic services -
biology accounted for 33% of all requests about 75% of the total backlog was for
these types of requests
What is a private forensic lab? - ANSWERIndependently owned and operated-
specialized labs (only one or two types of analysis)-private consultant-provides
service to public as defendant or to other labs but at a cost
Perform only one or two types of servicesPrivate consultantService to the
publicDefendantOther forensic laboratories
What happens at a crime scene? - ANSWEREach crime scene is uniqueVariations
include: crime committed, location, items used, people involvedInvestigators must be
flexible and creativeMany crime scenes offer situations where guidelines cannot be
followedIndividual responsible for comprehensively and accurately collecting,
documenting, and transmitting evidence to the laboratory is the crime scene
investigator
What is the chain of custody? - ANSWERdocumentation or paper trail showing
custody, control, transfer and analysis of everyone who comes in contact with the
specimens
What are ethical issues that forensic scientists deal with? - ANSWERTechnically
competent and employ reliable and validated methods of analysisHonest about their
qualifications and staring within their area(s) of expertiseIntellectually honest about
their data, conclusions, and opinionsObjective when reviewing evidence and
testifying as an expert
What is quality assurance and control? - ANSWERQuality Assurance a set of
processes that can evaluate a lab and its personnel to determine if they are
achieving or maintain a given level of quality (ex. ASCLD). Quality Control a set of
, processes and procedures put in place in a lab to be followed by personnel so that a
desired level of quality can be achieved (ex. quality manuals, written procedures)
ASCLD, - ANSWERAmerican Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
ABC, - ANSWERaspiration biopsy cytology
OSAC - ANSWER(Organization of Scientific Area Committees) coordinates the
development of standards and guidelines that improve the quality and reliability of
evidence produced by forensic science
AAFS, - ANSWERAmerican Academy of Forensic Science, the largest forensic
science organization in the world
FEPAC, - ANSWERForensic Science Education Program Accreditation Commission
ASTM - ANSWERAmerican Society for Testing and Materials
What is demonstrative evidence? - ANSWER1) There is something we need to look
at
Ex. Faulty machinery, if something broke, tangible evidence
What is Locard's principle? - ANSWER- every contact leaves a trace
- there's always a transference of material from one object to another when any 2
objects come into contact with each other
What are false positives and negatives? - ANSWERFalse negative control a false
positive conclusion results when a test is determined to be positive and it is incorrect
(type I error, person could be falsely accused)
False positive control a false negative conclusion results when a test is determined
to be negative and it is incorrect (type II error, person could be falsely exonerated)
How is evidence be individualized? - ANSWERIndividualization of an object means
that it can be classified into a group with only one member
What is real evidence? - ANSWERevidence that consists of physical material or
traces of physical activity
What is individual evidence - ANSWERThings that can be narrowed down to a
unique, single, specific source
what is demonstrative evidence? - ANSWER1) There is something we need to look
at
Ex. Faulty machinery, if something broke, tangible evidence
Who makes decisions on validity of evidence and who decides when expert
testimony is needed? - ANSWERJudge
What is the admissibility of evidence? - ANSWERAdmissible evidence is any
document, testimony, or tangible evidence used in a court of law. Evidence is
