All the following are basic services provided by "full-service crime laboratories" except:
Toxicology
The standard guideline for determining the judicial admissibility of scientific examination stemmed form which court ruling?
Frye v. United States
The scientist who maintained that when a criminal came in contact with an object or person a cross-transfer of evidence would occur was
Edmond Locard
Which individual contributed knowledge to the forensic characterization of blood?
Alec Jeffreys
The basic functions of a forensic scientist include:
All of the above
True or False: The first forensic laboratory in the United States was created in 1953.
TRUE
True or False: The United States is one of only a handful of countries in the world that have created and now maintain forensic facilities.
TRUE
True or False: In 1993 the U.S. Supreme court decided that Frye v. United states precedent is an absolute prerequisite to the admissibility of scientific evidence.
FALSE
True or False: Only individuals who have accredited professional credentials from recognized university or medical programs are allowed to testify in court.
FALSE
True or False: Strict guidelines that ensure careful and systematic collection, organization, and analysis of information is a process known as the scientific method.
TRUE
Define forensic science.
The application of science to criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system.
What was the name of the first system of personal identification? What criteria did it use to distinguish individuals?
Anthropometry. It used a series of body measurements to distinguish one individual from another.
What was Francis Henry Galton's major contribution to forensic science? How did this advancement improve forensic science?
He discovered the first definitive of fingerprints and developed a methodology for filing them.
Who is known as "the father of forensic toxicology" and why?
Mathieu Orfila; published the first treatise on the detection of poisons and their effects on animals.
Name 2 major contributions to forensic science made by Hans Gross. Why are they considered important to forensic science?
Hans Gross: wrote the first traits describing the application of scientific disciplines to the field of criminal investigation.
With what area of forensic investigation are Karl Landsteiner and Louis Lattes associated?
Blood Typing
Who was the first person to apply the principles of forensic science to a working crime laboratory? What crime was he investigating?
Locard; was working on a case regarding counterfeit coins.
What is Locard's exchange principle?
When two objects come in contact with each other, a cross transfer of materials occur.
With what instrument did Dr. Walter C. McCrone make significant contributions to forensic science?
Microscope
List the 4 major reasons for the increase in the number of crime laboratories in the United States since the 1960's.
Having to read and abide by the Miranda warning
Huge increase of crime rates in the U.S.
All illicit drug cases must be sent to a forensic lab
The advent of DNA profiling
List the 4 government agencies that offer forensic services at the federal level.
FBI,DEA,US Post Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
The current system of crime laboratories in the united states can best be described as
Decentralized
List 3 advantages of having regional crime laboratories operate as a part of a statewide system. Are there any disadvantages to this setup?
Increase accessibility for local law enforcement to a crime lab
Minimize duplication of services
Ensuring maximum inter laboratory cooperation through sharing the expertise and equipment
How does the organization of Great Britain's forensic laboratories differ from that of the United States?
Great Britain has a national system for forensic laboratories. The US uses a variety of independent, state, and local labs.
Which unit examines body fluids and organs for drugs and poisons?
Toxicology Unit
Which unit examines and compares tool marks?
Firearms Units
What part of the body do forensic odontologists use to identify a victim? Why is this body part particularly useful as a source of identification?
Teeth; they are made of enamel, which is the hardest material in the body.
Describe the criteria for admissibility of scientific evidence as laid out in Frye v. United States.
The procedure, technique, or principle must be generally accepted by a meaningful segment of the scientific community.
In Daubert v. Merrell Dow pharmaceuticals, whom did the U.S. Supreme court charged with ensuring that an expert's testimony rests on a reliable foundation and is relevant to the case?
The trial judge must ensure and expert's testimony rests on a reliable foundation and us relevant to the case.
What is an expert witness?
The individual whom the court determines to possess knowledge relevant to the trial that is not expected of the average layperson.
What is the main difference between the testimony given by a expert witness and that given by a lay witness?
The ordinary or lay witness must give testimony that does not contain personal opinions. Expert witnesses may express personal opinions as to the significance of the findings.