Forensic Science ch. 2

The first officer arriving at a crime scene, after providing or obtaining medical assistance for the injured and effecting an arrest of suspects (if possible), should immediately

Secure the Scene

The most basic methods of crime scene recording include narrated videotape, sketches, photographs, and note taking. What is not a form of crime scene recording?

Infrared Analyst

If the crime scene includes a dead body, the photographer should

Depict injuries and weapons at scene

A rough sketch need NOT include

A sketch of the suspect(s)

CAD programs enhance the ability to

Produce a finished crime scene sketch

What is NOT true about note taking?

It's done after all crime scene processing has been completed

Which crime scene search pattern requires more than one investigator?

Zone

Physical evidence at a hit-and-run scene could include

Glass fragments, fabric impressions paint chips, and fiber and tissue.

What is the correct physical evidence collection procedure?

Bloodstained garments should be packaged separately in paper bags

Charred debris from an arson scene should be packaged

In an air tight jar

A victims fingernail scrapings would be correctly packaged in a

Druggist fold

The successful outcome of a criminal investigation is almost always directly related to

The manner in which the evidence is collected and reserved

A properly maintained chain of custody is not the responsibility of the

Trial judge

Success in the recognition and collection of physical evidence is determines primarily by the

Skill of personnel processing the crime scene

The collection of standard reference samples at the crime scene are important because they

Permit comparisons to be made with the evidence

A corpse was discovered in an apartment last November. It was that of a 50-year-old male who died of a heart attack. At the time of discovery, the body temperature was determined to 89 degrees F. What is the most probable post mortem interval?

7 hours

The rate pf cooling of a dead body can be influenced by all BUT the

Gender of the victim

As the post mortem interval increases, the concentration of potassium in the vitreous humor of the eye

Increases

What is not a manner of death?

Drowning

According to forensic entomologists, which "witness" is the first to arrive at the crime scene?

Blow fly

Rigor mortis refers to the

Stiffness of death

Which type of evidence must be packaged separately from other evidence?

Biological stain evidence, DNA-containing evidence, and arson evidence

What item(s) is/are likely to contain DNA evidence?

A glass fragment, a bedsheet, a self-adhesive mailing stamp, and a blue rug fiber.

Explosive residues, hairs and fibers, charred debris recovered from a fire, and glass should be sealed in an air tight container. What piece of evidence should not be sealed in something airtight?

Bloodstained clothing

Investigators should collect possible carriers of trace evidence which may include

Vacuum sweepings, clothing, vehicles, and fingernail scrapings.

The crime scene notes must accurately record

The tasks assigned to each investigator, personnel arrivals and departures from the scene and descriptions of evidence present at the crime scene.

What must crime scene videotapes be complemented by?

They must be complemented by a hard copy of notes and separate still photographs.

Crime scene sketches serve a unique purpose in permanently documenting the location of evidence

collected and removed from the crime scene.

What part of the decedents body resists rapid decomposition and is used by forensic anthropologists to provide information about the decedent?

The bones

A forensic anthropologist may help to create a _______________ to help with the identification of the victim.

Facial reconstruction

Estimations of the postmortem interval using entomological evidence must take into account

the species of insect present, geographical location of the decedents body, the locations climate over time, and weather conditions.

Insect evidence should be collected at the scene by

by a forensic entomologist or trained investigator.

Evidence of tampering with the position of a body after death can be obtained by evaluating the

Livor Mortis

If a cause of death cannot be found through a simple observation of the victim an __________ is typically carried out.

Autopsy

Typically, about an hour after death, the deceased body loses heat at a rate of approximately _______ until the body reaches the environmental temperature.

1-1/2 degrees Fahrenheit per hour

To determine the gender of skeletal remains, a forensic anthropologist can examine all of the following area of the skeleton except

The vertebrae

The stage of fusion of various bones within a skeleton can be used to estimate the ______ of the decedent.

Age

Define physical evidence and its significance to the area of forensic science.

Physical evidence- Any object that can establish that a crime has or has not been committed or can link an crime and it perpetrator.
It can tell who may have committed the crime and how they might have done it.

List and explain the responsibilities of the first officer at the crime scene.

The first officer must preserve and protect the crime scene

List explain the necessary steps to thoroughly record a crime scene.

Photography- It should be unaltered before photographing
Sketches- Must be accurate with dimensions
Notes- Must contain detailed descriptions of crime scene.

Describe the proper techniques for packaging evidence at a crime scene.

Evidence must not be damaged and would be of more use in its original condition. All items are to be packaged separately to avoid damage.

Define and explain the concept of the Chain of Custody.

Chain of Custody- A list of all the people who came into possession of an item of evidence.
The chain of custody helps find the perpetrator or suspects.

The presence of blood and semen at crime scenes exposes investigators to:

Aids and hepatitis B(both A and B)

A swab of the inner portion of the cheek. Cheek cells are usually collected to determine the DNA profile of an individual

Buccal swab

A precise rendering of the crime scene, usually drawn to scale

Finished sketch

A draft representation of all essential info and measurements aha crime scene. This sketch is drawn at the crime scene.

Rough sketch

Physical evidence whose origin is known, that can be compared to crime scene evidence

Standard reference sample

An unstained object adjacent to an area on which biological material has been deposited

Substrate control

Which amendment protects against unreasonable search and seizure

4th

Breaking the crime scene into individual quadrants or zones

Zone search

Searching a crime scene first horizontally and then vertically to cover a grid

Grid search

Two people searching the scene going back and forth

Strip search

Starting at the central point of a crime scene spiraling out or starting at the outer most point of a crime scene and spiraling in

Spiral search

How is debris stored

Air tight containers

How is blood/bodily fluids stored

Non airtight containers to avoid mold and decomposion

How are clothing items stored

Wrapped separately