Forensics Test Bank

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CHAPTER 1

Introduction Chapter 1 Multiple Choice

1. Forensic science is the application of science to: a. Crime-scene reconstruction.

b. Civil laws. c. Criminal laws.

d. Both civil and criminal laws. Answer: d

Objective: Define forensic science and list the major disciplines it encompasses. Page number: 2

Level: Basic

2. The fictional character of Sherlock Holmes was created by: a. Dalton.

b. Doyle. c. Darwin. d. Denton. Answer: b

Objective: Recognize the major contributors to the development of forensic science. Page number: 7

Level: Basic

3. Who is known as the “father of forensic toxicology”? a. Orfila

b. Locard c. Osborn d. Lattes Answer: a

Level: Intermediate

4. Who developed the system known as anthropometry? a. Goddard

b. Gross c. Bertillon d. Galton Answer: c

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5. Who undertook the first definitive study of fingerprints as a method of personal identification? a. Gross b. Lattes c. Locard d. Galton Answer: d

Level: Basic

6. Who devised a technique for determining the blood group of a dried bloodstain, which he applied to criminal investigations?

a. Lattes b. Gross c. Locard d. Bertillon Answer: a

Level: Basic

7. Who established the comparison microscope as the indispensable tool of the modern firearms examiner? a. Goddard b. Lattes c. Gross d. Galton Answer: a

Level: Basic

8. Who wrote the first treatise describing the application of science to the field of criminal investigation? a. Locard b. Osborn c. Gross d. Galton Answer: c

Objective: Recognize the major contributors to the development of forensic science. Page numbers: 5–6

Level: Intermediate

9. Who established the first workable crime laboratory? a. Osborn

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c. Bertillon d. Galton Answer: b

Level: Intermediate

10. What is the oldest forensic laboratory in the United States? a. New York City Police Department

b. Federal Bureau of Investigation c. Secret Service

d. Los Angeles Police Department Answer: d

Level: Difficult

11. Which entity maintains the largest crime laboratory in the world? a. Scotland Yard

b. Royal Canadian Mounted Police c. Federal Bureau of Investigation d. Los Angeles Police Department Answer: c

Level: Difficult

12. Which of the following would not be included in the work of the biology unit of a crime lab? a. Blood typing

b. Comparison of hairs c. DNA profiling d. Fingerprint analysis Answer: d

Objective: Describe the services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the U.S. criminal justice system.

Page number: 15 Level: Difficult

13. Which unit is responsible for examining body fluids and organs for the presence of drugs and poisons?

a. Toxicology unit b. Physical science unit c. Biology unit

d. Trace evidence unit Answer: a

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Objective: Describe the services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the US criminal justice system.

14. Which one of the following people did not make a contribution to forensic toxicology? a. Valentin Ross

b. Alphonse Bertillon c. Carl Wilhelm Scheele d. Mathieu Orfila Answer: b

Level: Difficult

15. In Kumho Tire Co., Ltd. v. Carmichael, the US Supreme Court ruled that the “gatekeeping” role of a trial judge:

a. Was restricted to scientific testimony.

b. Applied only to cases involving capital crimes. c. Was subject to appeal by a higher court. d. Applied to all expert testimony.

Answer: d

Objective: Compare and contrast the Frye and Daubert decisions relating to the admissibility of scientific evidence in the courtroom.

Page number: 22 Level: Intermediate

16. The concept of “general acceptance” of scientific evidence relates to what? a. Frye standard

b. Exclusionary rule c. First Amendment d. Miranda warnings Answer: a

17. Which of the following makes a false statement? An expert witness must be able to demonstrate:

a. Education in his/her area of expertise. b. A formal degree in forensic science. c. Significant experience in a relevant field. d. Working knowledge of the subject matter. Answer: b

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Page numbers: 22–23 Level: Difficult

18. Who is the final evaluator of forensic evidence? a. Police

b. Jury c. Accused d. Media Answer: b

Objective: Explain the role and responsibilities of the expert witness. Page number: 21

Level: Difficult

19. Bite marks would be least likely to be found in cases involving: a. Sexual abuse

b. Murder c. Arson d. Assault Answer: c

Objective: List the specialized forensic services, aside from the crime laboratory, that are generally available to law enforcement personnel.

20. Forensic odontology refers to the study of which of the following? a. Teeth

b. Drugs c. Bones d. Rocks Answer: a

21. The case of Coppolino v. State highlights issues dealing with what? a. Search and seizure

b. Admissibility of the polygraph c. Acceptability of new scientific tests d. Warrantless searches

Answer: c

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22. The scientific method requires that scientific evidence be validated by what means? a. Formulating pertinent questions

b. Formulating hypotheticals c. Performing experiments d. All of the above

Answer: d

Level: Intermediate

23. Which of the following services does not normally lie within the expertise of the forensic scientist? a. Drug identification b. Wood comparisons c. Document examination d. Polygraph examination Answer: d

Level: Difficult

24. What judicial case set forth the most current guidelines for determining the admissibility of scientific examinations in the federal courts?

a. Frye v. United States

b. Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals c. Coppolino v. State

d. Mapp v. United States Answer: b

25. The effectiveness of an expert’s testimony is almost always dependent on: a. The ability of the expert to talk in clear, concise language.

b. The educational background of the expert. c. The scientific validity of the tests used. d. All of the above

Answer: d

Objective: Explain the role and responsibilities of the expert witness. Page numbers: 22–23

Level: Intermediate

26. The dramatization of forensic science on television has led to a phenomenon known as what? a. NCIS effect

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c. CSI effect d. LAPD effect Answer: c

Level: Basic

27. The lay witness provides testimony that relies on what? a. Scientific education

b. Personal opinions c. Personal knowledge d. Scientific experience Answer: c

Level: Intermediate

28. What U.S. Supreme Court case made it necessity for the forensic scientist to appear in court?:

a. Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts b. Crawford v. Washington

c. Coppolino v. State d. Frye v. United States Answer: a

Page number: 24 Level: Basic

29. What area of forensic science examines the relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings? a. Forensic psychology b. Forensic sociology c. Forensic pathology d. Forensic psychiatry Answer: d

30. What area of forensic science is concerned with failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and causes and origins of fires or explosions?

a. Forensic engineering b. Forensic psychiatry c. Forensic anthropology

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d. Forensic odontology Answer: a

31. The current system of crime laboratories in the United States can best be described as which of the following? a. Centralized b. Regional c. Decentralized d. National Answer: c

Objective: Account for the rapid growth of forensic laboratories in the past forty years. Page number: 13

Level: Intermediate

32. Approximately how many crime labs are currently operating in the United States (including federal, state, county, and municipal labs)?

a. 250 b. 400 c. 150 d. 200 Answer: b

Level: Difficult

33. Which of the following can be said to explain the rapid growth of crime labs during the last forty years?

a. Supreme Court decisions in the 1960s

b. A staggering increase in crime rates in the United States c. The advent of DNA profiling

d. All of the above Answer: d

Level: Basic

34. In the case of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the US Supreme Court advocated that a “gatekeeper” determine the admissibility and reliability of scientific evidence. Who is this gatekeeper?

a. Expert witness b. Prosecutor c. Jury

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d. Trial judge Answer: d

35. The eleven sections of the American Academy of Forensic Science include all of the following except: a. General b. Arson/explosives c. Jurisprudence d. Criminalistics Answer: b

Objective: Describe the services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the criminal justice system.

Page number: 2 Level: Intermediate Chapter 1 True-False

1. Karl Landsteiner and Leone Lattes are associated with the area of blood typing. Answer: True

Objective: Recognize the major contributors to the development of forensic science. Page numbers: 7–8

Level: Basic

2. Colin Pitchfork was the first individual exonerated using DNA profiling. Answer: False

Level: Intermediate

3. Dr. Walter C. McCrone made significant contributions to forensic science involving microscopy.

Answer: True

Level: Basic

4. The increase in crime rates in the United States has led to an increase in the number of crime laboratories.

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Answer: True

Level: Intermediate

5. All illicit drug seizures must be sent to a forensic laboratory for confirmatory analysis. Answer: True

6. It is the responsibility of the forensic investigator to determine innocence or guilt. Answer: False

Level: Difficult

7. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is a state-run agency. Answer: False

Level: Intermediate

8. The current system of crime laboratories in the United States is decentralized. Answer: True

Level: Difficult

9. Forensic odontologists look at bones to identify victims. Answer: False

10. The principle of “general acceptance” comes from Frye v. United States. Answer: True

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11. The American Academy of Forensic Sciences is the largest forensic science organization in the world.

Answer: True

Level: Intermediate

12. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes had a large influence on popularizing scientific crime-detection methods.

Answer: True

Level: Basic

13. The United States does not have a national system of forensic laboratories. Answer: True

Level: Difficult

14. One major problem in the forensic DNA community is the backlog of unanalyzed DNA samples.

Answer: True

Level: Intermediate

15. Regional laboratories have diminished the accessibility of a crime laboratory to many local law enforcement agencies.

Answer: False

Level: Difficult

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Answer: False

17. The firearms unit may also analyze tool marks. Answer: True

18. A voiceprint transforms a visual graphic display into speech. Answer: False

19. The five units of a basic a crime lab are the physical science unit, the biology unit, the firearms unit, the document examination unit, and the photography unit.

Answer: True

Page numbers: 14–15 Level: Intermediate

20. Physical evidence is subject to bias. Answer: False

21. One of the earliest crime laboratories was founded by Albert Osborn. Answer: False

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22. The case of Frye v. United States deals with the legal issue of general acceptance of scientific principles.

Answer: True

23. Performing a polygraph examination is not normally within the expertise of the forensic scientist.

Answer: True

24. The effectiveness of an expert’s testimony does not usually depend on the educational background of the expert.

Answer: False

Level: Basic

25. Forensic science is the application of science to criminal laws only. Answer: False

Level: Basic

26. Locard’s exchange principle states that, whenever two objects come into contact with one another, there is exchange of materials between them.

Answer: True

Level: Basic

27. In 1972, New York began creating an integrated network of state-operated forensic laboratories consisting of regional and satellite facilities.

Answer: False

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28. The increase in US crime rates since the 1960s has not had any effect on the growth of crime laboratories.

Answer: False

Level: Basic

29. The federal government has no single law enforcement or investigative agency that has unlimited jurisdiction throughout the country.

Answer: True

Level: Difficult

30. Differences in local laws have no effect on the types of services offered by crime labs in different communities.

Answer: False

31. The comparison of hairs and fibers would be performed in the biology unit. Answer: True

32. The examination of garments and other objects in order to detect firearm discharge residues would be performed in the biology unit.

Answer: False

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Answer: False

Objective: Explain the role and responsibilities of the expert witness. Page numbers: 20, 22

Level: Basic

34. An expert witness gives testimony on events or observations that arise from personal knowledge.

Answer: False

Level: Difficult

35. A lay witness’s testimony cannot usually contain the personal opinions of the witness. Answer: True

Level: Difficult

36. The physical science unit is responsible for examining burned or charred documents. Answer: False

37. The toxicology unit would determine the amount of alcohol consumed by an individual. Answer: True

Chapter 1 Fill in the Blank

1. Forensic science is the application of science to the _____. Answer: Law

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2. The Chinese manuscript _____ is one of the earliest records of the application of forensics to criminal cases.

Answer: Yi Yu Ji

Level: Difficult

3. In 1828, _____ invented the polarizing microscope. Answer: William Nichol

Level: Difficult

4. Fingerprinting replaced ____ as a method of personal identification. Answer: Anthropometry

Level: Intermediate

5. The principle that states that a cross-transfer of materials occurs when two objects come into contact with each other is known as _____.

Answer: Locard’s exchange principle

Level: Basic

6. Goddard’s work helped to establish the _____ as the indispensible tool of the firearms examiner.

Answer: Comparison microscope

Level: Difficult

7. Four major federal crime laboratories are those of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the _____.

Answer: US Postal Inspection Service

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8. The _____ unit applies principles and techniques of chemistry, physics, and geology to the identification and comparison of crime-scene evidence.

Answer: Physical science

9. The document examination unit studies the handwriting and _____ on questioned documents to ascertain their authenticity and/or source.

Answer: Typewriting

10. The _____ unit analyzes telephoned threats and audio-recorded messages. Answer: Voiceprint analysis

11. Collecting evidence from a cell phone is an example of forensic _____ and digital analysis. Answer: Computer

12. The forensic scientist should be an advocate only of the _____. Answer: Truth

Level: Difficult

13. _____ help criminal investigators retrieve evidence. Answer: Evidence technicians

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14. Extensive information about forensic science can be found on the _____. Answer: Internet

Level: Intermediate

15. The judicial case that set forth the current guidelines for determining the admissibility of scientific examinations in the federal courts is _____.

Answer: Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

16. _____ is considered to be the “father of forensic toxicology.” Answer: Mathieu Orfila

Level: Intermediate

17. _____ undertook the first definitive study of fingerprints and developed a methodology of classifying them for filing.

Answer: Francis Henry Galton

Level: Intermediate

18. _____ was the first to use a comparison microscope to analyze bullets to determine whether they were fired from the same gun.

Answer: Calvin Goddard

Level: Difficult

19. The fee-for-service concept has encouraged the creation of a number of _____ laboratories. Answer: Private

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20. The _____ unit performs DNA profiling of dried bloodstains and other body fluids. Answer: Biology

21. The _____ unit examines body fluids and organs to determine the presence or absence of drugs and poisons.

Answer: Toxicology

22. The _____ unit dispatches specially trained personnel to the crime scene to collect and preserve physical evidence that will later be processed at the crime laboratory.

Answer: Crime-scene investigation

23. The case of _____ assigned the trial judge the task of ensuring that an expert’s testimony rests on a reliable foundation and is relevant to the task at hand.

Answer: Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

24. The _____ witness evaluates evidence that the court lacks the expertise to do. Answer: Expert

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25. A _____ witness must give testimony on events or observations that arise from personal knowledge.

Answer: Lay

Level: Intermediate

26. The _____ unit helps prepare photographic exhibits for courtroom presentation. Answer: Photography

Chapter 1 Matching

Match the word in the first column to its definition in the second column. Each answer can be used only once.

[[COMP: DO NOT SET THE BORDERS AROUND THE CELLS IN THIS TABLE.]] 1. Expert witness a. A systematic procedure that involves taking

a series of body measurements as a means of distinguishing one individual from another 2. Locard’s exchange principle b. A process that uses strict guidelines to

ensure careful and systematic collection, organization, and analysis of information 3. Scientific method c. Lie detector

4. Forensic science d. An individual who the court has determined possesses a particular skill in or knowledge of a trade or profession that is not expected of the average layperson and that will aid a court in determining the truth of a matter at trial 5. Anthropometry e. Visual graphic display of speech 6. Polygraph f. Application of science to the laws

7. Voiceprint g. Describes the services of a crime laboratory 8. Criminalistics h. States that, when two objects come into

contact with each other, a cross-transfer of materials occurs 1. d (page 22) 2. h (page 8) 3. b (page 20) 4. f (page 2) 5. a (page 5)

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6. c (page 16) 7. e (page 16) 8. g (page 3) Level: Basic

Chapter 1 Essay

1. List four major reasons for the increase in the number of crime laboratories in the United States since the 1960s.

Answer:

• The requirement to advise criminal suspects of their constitutional rights and their right of immediate access to counsel has almost eliminated confessions as a routine investigative tool

• The staggering increase in crime rates in the United States

• The fact that all illicit-drug seizures must be sent to a forensic laboratory for confirmatory chemical analysis before the case can be adjudicated in court

• The advent of DNA profiling

Objective: Account for the rapid growth of forensic laboratories in the past forty years. Page numbers: 12–13

Level: Intermediate

2. List three advantages of having regional crime laboratories that operate as part of a statewide system.

Answer:

• Increases the accessibility of local law enforcement agencies to a crime laboratory • Minimizes duplication of services

• Ensures maximum interlaboratory cooperation through sharing of expertise and equipment

Level: Intermediate

3. List the three basic functions of a forensic scientist. Answer:

• Analyzing physical evidence • Providing expert testimony

• Furnishing training in the proper recognition, collection, and preservation of physical evidence

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4. Discuss the major outcomes of the trials Frye v. United States and Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Answer should include points such as the following:

In Frye v. United States, the court ruled that, in order for expert testimony to be admitted at trial, a questioned procedure, technique, or principle must be “generally accepted” by a meaningful segment of the relevant scientific community.

In Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. Supreme Court charged the trial judge with ensuring that an expert’s testimony rests on a reliable foundation and is relevant to the case.

Page numbers: 20, 21 Level: Difficult

5. What is the main difference between the testimony given by an expert witness and that given by a lay witness?

The ordinary or lay witness must give testimony that does not contain the personal opinions of the witness.

The expert witness may express his or her personal opinion as to the significance of specific findings.

Level: Intermediate

6. Describe the advantages of incorporating an evidence collection unit into the organizational structure of the crime laboratory.

Evidence technicians under the continuous direction of the crime laboratory are more likely to have received thorough training in the gathering of evidence at the crime site.

Evidence technicians who are continually exposed to the problems and techniques of the forensic scientist are better prepared to adopt new procedures or modify existing procedures to improve evidence collection.

Evidence technicians working out of the forensic laboratory will have at their disposal all the proper tools and supplies for proper collection and packaging of evidence for future scientific examination.

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1. Describe the evidence to be collected and the specialists or crime laboratory units that would be needed to properly analyze the following crime scene to answer the given questions.

On Monday, September 26, 2011, a small airplane believed to be transporting members of a Mexican drug cartel and a shipment of drugs and firearms of unknown type or size recorded a short “mayday” call at 8:05 a.m. before crashing into a farmhouse in Laredo, Texas. Local police report that the abandoned farmhouse is frequented by homeless individuals, and there may have been several inside at the time of impact. On impact, the airplane’s nearly full gas tank caused a fire that incinerated those within the plane and those within the farmhouse.

The investigators need to deduce the following:

a. How did the airplane malfunction to cause the crash? b. Who was on the airplane and in the farmhouse? c. What were the contents of the airplane’s cargo? Answer should include points such as the following:

All evidence should be collected by the crime-scene unit or trained personnel.

a. All available portions of the airplane should be collected and analyzed by a forensic engineer to acquire information about potential causes of the crash. The mayday signal should be recorded and analyzed by the voiceprint analysis unit to acquire information about potential causes of the crash. Samples of gasoline should be collected and analyzed by the physical science unit to to acquire information about potential causes of the crash.

b. Any discovered remains should be collected and analyzed by a forensic odontologist to acquire information about the victims. Tissue from discovered remains should be collected and analyzed by the biology unit for blood type or DNA to acquire

information about the victims.

c. All available portions of the cargo materials should be collected. Potential drug evidence should be analyzed by the physical science unit, and potential firearms evidence should be analyzed by the firearms unit to acquire information about the contents of the airplane’s cargo.

2. For each of the early forensic science methods listed here, state the more recent technology or discipline that has taken its place in forensic science inquiry.

a. Identification via anthropometry

b. Firearms bullet and cartridge analysis via unassisted vision c. Identification via blood typing

d. Poison identification via stomach content analysis

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Answer:

a. Fingerprinting

b. Comparison microscope c. DNA

d. Toxicology

e. Crime-scene unit and crime laboratories

Objective: Recognize the major contributors to the development of forensic science. Page numbers: 5, 7–10

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CHAPTER 2

Securing and Searching the Crime Scene Chapter 2 Multiple Choice

1. After providing medical assistance for the injured and arresting any suspects on the scene, the first officer should immediately:

a. Search the scene. b. Secure the scene. c. Photograph the scene.

d. Make a rough sketch of the scene. Answer: b

Objective: Discuss the responsibilities of the first police officer who arrives at the crime scene. Page number: 34

Level: Intermediate

2. The center of the crime scene, which is always included within the crime scene’s boundary, is: a. The area where the first responder entered the scene.

b. The area where the witnesses were located.

c. The area where the command center will be located. d. The area where the crime occurred.

Answer: d

Objective: Describe the conditions of the crime scene that should be given particular notice. Page number: 34

Level: Basic

3. The conditions at a crime scene can be compromised by all of the following actions except: a. Taking photographs at the crime scene.

b. Eating food at the crime scene.

c. Turning on a faucet on the crime scene. d. Smoking at the crime scene.

Answer: a

Objective: Describe the conditions of the crime scene that should be given particular notice. Page number: 35

Level: Difficult

4. What is the initial survey of the crime scene that is carried out by the lead investigator called? a. Spiral search

b. Initial survey c. Walk-through d. Crime-scene search Answer: c

Objective: Comprehend the role of the lead investigator in coordinating the crime-scene search. Page number: 36

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5. Which of the following may give clues about the timing of an incident? a. Presence or absence of a television

b. Position of the day’s newspaper inside or outside the house c. Position of the victim’s vehicle

d. Whether a door is locked or unlocked Answer: b

Objective: Appreciate the necessity of documenting all initial observations and evidence collected.

6. The size and location of the crime scene as well as the events that occurred there will determine:

a. The kind of evidence that will be missing. b. The time at which the crime scene is searched.

c. The kind of search pattern that will be used to located evidence.

d. The number of personnel who will process the evidence at the crime laboratory. Answer: c

Objective: Understand the various search patterns investigators can use to systematically search the crime scene for evidence.

7. Which crime-scene search pattern does not require more than one investigator? a. Wheel

b. Line c. Grid d. Zone Answer: b

8. Which search pattern would be best for a crime scene where many investigators are available to search a large area?

a. Spiral b. Grid c. Line d. Zone Answer: d

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9. The types of evidence commonly found during a vehicle search include all of the following except which? a. Questioned documents b. Fibers c. Paint evidence d. Broken glass Answer: a

10. The purpose of the crime-scene search is to locate what? a. DNA evidence

b. Physical evidence c. Fingerprint evidence d. Bloodstain evidence Answer: b

11. Once the lead investigator determines that all pertinent evidence at the crime scene has been located, the investigators must perform what?

a. The walk-through b. The initial survey c. The final survey

d. The crime-scene search Answer: c

Level: Basic

12. To formulate a successful strategy for recovering relevant physical evidence at crime scenes, what must the investigator ultimately rely on?

a. Reference material b. Experience

c. Training

d. The lead investigator Answer: b

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13. What is the name of the search pattern in which one or two investigators start at the boundary at one end of the scene and walk straight across to the other side?

a. Line b. Grid c. Quadrant d. Wheel Answer: a

14. What search pattern employs two people performing line searches that originate from adjacent corners? a. Line b. Grid c. Spiral d. Wheel Answer: b

15. Which of the following is a disadvantage of the spiral search pattern? a. Evidence could be missed.

b. It requires several investigators. c. It does not work for outdoor scenes.

d. It is dependent on the boundaries of the scene. Answer: a

16. Which search pattern employs several people moving from the boundary straight toward the center of the scene (inward) or from the center straight to the boundary (outward)?

a. Quadrant b. Grid c. Spiral d. Wheel Answer: d

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Level: Intermediate

17. Which of the following acts is permissible for officers at the scene? a. Eat

b. Drink c. Smoke

d. None of the above Answer: d

Objective: Describe the conditions at the crime scene that should be given particular notice. Page number: 35

Level: Basic

18. Which search pattern is most reliant on the boundaries established? a. Line

b. Spiral c. Wheel d. Quadrant Answer: a

19. Officers should attempt to locate tool marks at the point of entry during the investigation of what type of crime?

a. Homicide b. Burglary c. Hit and run d. Assault Answer: b

20. The first responding officer at the crime scene must make attempts to detain and question whom? a. Witnesses b. Unauthorized personnel c. Suspects d. Both a and c. Answer: d

Objective: Discuss the responsibilities of the first police officer who arrives at a crime scene. Page number: 34

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1. Police barricades and the strategic positioning of guards are used prohibit access to the crime scene by whom?

a. Civilians only

b. Civilians and media personnel c. All law enforcement personnel d. All unauthorized personnel Answer: d

Objective: Explain the steps to be taken to thoroughly record the crime scene. Page number: 34

Level: Basic

Chapter 2 True-False

1. Evidence can be found on the walls and ceiling as well as on the floor at a crime scene. Answer: True

Level: Basic

2. The first responding officer at the crime scene should not make attempts to detain and question unauthorized personnel.

Answer: False

Level: Difficult

3. Failure to protect a crime scene properly may result in the destruction or altering of evidence. Answer: True

Level: Basic

4. The first priority of the first officer responding to a crime scene is securing the crime scene. Answer: False

Level: Difficult

5. The boundaries of an indoor crime scene are usually more difficult to determine than an outdoor crime scene.

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Level: Intermediate

6. When possible, an outdoor scene that occurs at night should be taped off and left undisturbed and guarded until daylight.

Answer: True

Level: Basic

7. Unauthorized personnel include friends and family of the victim. Answer: True

Level: Intermediate

8. Tool marks are not usually significant when found in vehicle searches. Answer: False

9. Investigators should take an inventory of all evidence collected so nothing is lost or left behind.

Answer: True

10. Statements made by the victim on the way to hospital cannot be recorded and included in notes.

Answer: False

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Answer: True

Level: Difficult

12. It is permitted for officers at the scene to alter temperature conditions by changing the position of windows or doors or adjusting the heat or air-conditioning.

Answer: False

Level: Intermediate

13. The investigators should follow a direct path to the center of the scene. Answer: False

Level: Difficult

14. The command center must be located outside the taped-off boundary of the scene. Answer: True

Level: Basic

15. When possible, it is advisable to have two people supervising and coordinating the collection of evidence.

Answer: False

Level: Intermediate

16. The obligation to maintain the integrity of evidence belongs to the first police officer at the scene only.

Answer: False

Level: Intermediate

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Answer: True

18. The first critical step in crime-scene investigation is securing and isolating the crime scene. Answer: True

Level: Basic

19. The areas searched by crime-scene investigators must include all probable points of entry and exit used by the criminal.

Answer: True

Chapter 2 Fill in the Blank

1. _____ and the strategic positioning of guards will prohibit unauthorized access to the crime scene.

Answer: Police barricades

Level: Difficult

2. The _____ scene is the one at which the original incident occurred. Answer: Primary

Level: Basic

3. Members of the investigative team will receive their assignments, store their equipment, and meet to discuss aspects of the case at the _____.

Answer: Command center

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4. Medical workers should approach the body by a(n) _____ route to minimize the possibility of disturbing evidence.

Answer: Indirect

Level: Difficult

5. An accurate _____ of everyone who enters or leaves the scene should be kept. Answer: Log

6. The first step in a _____ is to establish the perpetrator’s path of entry and exit. Answer: Walk-through

Level: Intermediate

7. The _____ scene is a location that became part of the crime by activities after the initial incident.

Answer: Secondary

Level: Basic

8. When searching a vehicle, an investigator must avoid touching surfaces that may contain _____.

Answer: Fingerprints

9. In the case of homicide, the investigator’s search will be centered on the _____ as well as any type of evidence left as a result of contact between the victim and the assailant.

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10. The officer should initially denote the _____ of the scene using crime-scene tape, ropes, or traffic cones.

Answer: Boundaries

Level: Basic

Chapter 2 Matching

Match the word in the first column to its definition in the second column. Each answer can be used only once.

1. Command center a. The crime scene at which the original criminal act was perpetrated

2. Grid search b. A search method employed by several people moving from around the boundary straight toward the center of the scene (inward) or from the center straight to the boundary (outward)

3. Line/strip search c. A search method employed by two or more people overlapping separate line searches to form a grid

4. Primary scene d. A secure site outside the boundaries of a crime scene where equipment is stored, tasks are assigned, and communications are made 5. Quadrant/zone search e. The initial survey of the crime scene carried

out by the lead investigator during which he or she gains an overview of the scene in order to formulate a plan for processing the scene 6. Secondary scene f. A crime scene separate from the primary

scene that became part of the crime by its involvement in activities after the initial criminal act was perpetrated

7. Spiral search g. A search method in which the investigator(s) move in an inward spiral from the boundary to the center of the scene or in an outward spiral from the center to the boundary of a scene. 8. Walk-through h. A search method in which one or two

investigators walk in straight lines across the crime scene.

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9. Wheel/ray search i. A search method in which the crime scene is divided into smaller sections and team

members are assigned to search each section. Each of these sections can be subdivided into smaller sections for smaller teams to search thoroughly. 1. d (page 37) 2. c (page 38) 3. h (page 38) 4. a (page 37) 5. i (page 39) 6. f (page 37) 7. g (page 38) 8. e (page 36) 9. b (page 39) Level: Basic Chapter 2 Essay

1. Describe the basic functions of a command center. What kind of equipment must a command center contain?

A command center is the place where members of the investigative team receive their assignments, store their equipment, and meet to discuss aspects of the case.

The command center can be a center for communication between investigators at multiple crime scenes.

The command center must contain the basic equipment needed to photograph, sketch, process, and collect evidence.

Level: Basic

2. Describe the steps the crime-scene investigation team takes during its final survey of a crime scene.

The team makes a visual overview of all parts of the scene, takes an inventory of all evidence collected so nothing is lost or left behind, retrieves all equipment, and verifies that any threats to health or safety at the scene have been or will be dealt with properly. Objective: Comprehend the role of the lead investigator in coordinating the crime-scene search. Page number: 39

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3. List two possible consequences of failure to protect a crime scene properly. Answer should include points such as the following:

• Evidence may be detroyed or altered.

• The search for the perpetrator may be hindered because investigators are mislead about the true facts of the incident.

Level: Intermediate

Chapter 2 Critical Thinking

1. State which crime-scene search pattern(s) would be best utilized in each of the following situations.

a. One investigator must search a small classroom at a community college. b. Five investigators must search a large cornfield.

c. Two investigators must search a walled-in Little League baseball field.

d. One investigator must search a small muddy backyard, looking specifically for footprint evidence. Answers: a. Line b. Quadrant/zone c. Grid d. Spiral

Page numbers: 38–39 Level: Basic

2. Discuss what information, specifically about timing, can be gleaned from the state of the following searched crime scenes.

a. A young woman is found dead near the front door of her home. She had not reported to work at 8 a.m. The morning newspaper is on the kitchen table next to a clean, empty plate. The decedent is found wearing pajamas and messy hair. Burned toast is found in the toaster.

b. A backpack and empty lunchbox belonging to a missing child is found on a couch in a mobile home owned by a 47-year-old single man with no family in the area. The

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backpack contains blank homework assigned to the child that day in school. The search reveals action movie posters, three video-game systems, twenty-five video games, and drawers filled with candy bars.

a. The state of the scene suggests the young woman was killed in the morning hours before 8 a.m. while she was preparing for work. This is suggested by the pajamas, the day’s paper having been brought in, and breakfast (or a portion of it) having been prepared.

b. The contents of the backpack and the empty lunchbox suggest the objects were placed there after the child left school, because the lunch within the lunchbox had been eaten and homework was present but not yet worked on. The presence of objects which would appeal to children are out of place in the man’s mobile home and should lead to further investigation.

Objective: Describe the conditions at the crime scene that should be given particular notice. Page numbers: 36–37

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CHAPTER 3

Recording the Crime Scene Chapter 3 Multiple Choice

1. The most common methods of crime-scene recording do not include which one of the following? a. Note taking b. Photographs c. Sketches d. Infrared analysis Answer: d

Objective: Explain the steps to be taken to fully record the crime scene. Page number: 51

Level: Basic

2. Which statement about note taking is not true?

a. The name of the individual who packaged and marked items of evidence should be recorded.

b. Note taking is done after all crime-scene processing has been completed.

c. Notes should include location of each item of physical evidence that is recovered. d. Disposition of items after collection must be included.

Answer: b

Objective: Describe the proper format and content of crime-scene notes. Page number: 51

Level: Intermediate

3. The advantages of recording crime-scene notes on an audio-recording device include all of the following except:

a. The notes can be recorded at the crime laboratory instead of at the crime scene. b. The investigator’s hands are free to carry out other tasks while recording the notes. c. Detailed notes can be spoken much faster than they can be written.

d. The notes are recorded as the observations are made. Answer: a

Level: Difficult

4. Crime-scene photography must produce examination-quality photographs, which are photographs that can be easily interpreted by whom?

a. The judge

b. Investigators at the crime laboratory c. Everyone involved in the case d. The jury

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Objective: Understand the basic features of film and digital cameras in order to produce examination-quality photographs.

5. The “speed” of film is a measurement of what?

a. Number of silver halide grains that are located on the film b. Rate at which the film reacts with light

c. Length of time that the film is exposed to light d. Rate at which the film reflects light

Answer: b

6. In digital photography, light is recorded as a specific charge on millions of tiny what? a. Silver halide grains

b. Charge coupled devices c. Semi-conductors

d. Pixels Answer: d

7. The number of pixels contained in a digital camera is directly related to the detail and sharpness of the image, which is called its what?

a. Resolution b. White balance c. Grain

d. Contrast Answer: a

8. Which lens would be best suited to photographing the details of a small but detailed tool mark found at a crime scene?

a. Telephoto lens b. Macro lens c. Normal lens d. Wide-angle lens Answer: b

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9. The camera’s aperture is commonly adjusted on the SLR and DSLR cameras by adjusting what? a. F-stop b. Resolution c. Shutter speed d. White balance Answer: a

10. What feature of a digital camera’s “night mode” allows the camera to gather as much light as possible to create the image?

a. High shutter speed b. Low shutter speed c. High f-stop d. Low aperture Answer: b

11. What feature allows most digital cameras to automatically compensate for color temperatures that deviate from white?

a. Tungsten film b. Bracketing c. White balance

d. Exposure compensation Answer: c

12. Oblique lighting creates a shadowing effect in photographs of three-dimensional objects by placing the flash at what angle to the plane of view?

a. Less than 45 percent b. Equal 90 percent c. Greater than 45 percent

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d. Greater than 90 percent Answer: a

13. The exposure compensation settings on a digital camera would be used to capture an image that is:

a. Out of focus.

b. Extremely dark or extremely bright. c. Under normal lighting.

d. Far from the photographer. Answer: b

14. What kind filter allows a small range of wavelengths of light and blocks all others from reaching the film or microchip?

a. Bypass filter

b. Complementary color filters c. Polarized light filter

d. Barrier filter Answer: d

15. Where must detailed information about each photograph taken at a crime scene be recorded? a. In the crime-scene notes

b. On a photography log c. In the crime-scene sketch d. On a chain of custody form Answer: b

16. When taking overview photographs, the crime-scene photographer should include at least one object in multiple overview photographs to help visually piece the scene together. What is this object called?

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b. A photographic marker c. A visual tag

d. An objective marker Answer: c

17. Recording the details of a large outdoor crime scene or the relationship of multiple crime scenes may involve:

a. Infrared photography b. Aerial photography c. Night photography d. Impression photography Answer: b

18. Close-up crime-scene photographs must be taken both with and without what? a. Scale

b. Visual tag c. Tripod d. Flash Answer: a

19. Photographs of what kind of evidence require a camera designed to create a 1:1 photograph or by a standard camera fitted with an adapter?

a. Bloodstain evidence

b. Latent fingerprint evidence c. Fiber evidence

d. Document evidence Answer: b

20. In what situation is the photographic technique of “painting with light” used? a. Arson scene

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b. Accident scene c. During daytime d. During nighttime Answer: d

21. If the crime scene includes a dead body, the photographer should: a. Determine time of death.

b. Attempt to identify the victim. c. Document all personnel at the scene. d. Depict injuries and weapons at the scene. Answer: d

22. Which of the following does not require special photographic techniques or considerations? a. Sexual assault photography

b. Impression evidence c. Biological evidence d. Bloodstain evidence Answer: c

Page numbers: 63–64 Level: Difficult

23. Digital crime-scene photographs require special measures to assure their admissibility in court due to:

a. Inability to manipulate the image. b. Ability to manipulate the image. c. Poor quality.

d. Difficulty involved in compressing file size. Answer: b

24. Videorecordings of the crime scene:

a. Must be complemented by a hard copy of notes and separate still photographs. b. Can be used in place of notes and photographs.

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c. Are not admissible in court due to the poor image quality. d. Are generally of poor quality and little value.

Answer: a

Level: Basic

25. Crime-scene sketches serve a unique purpose in permanently documenting the location of which type of evidence?

a. Processed at the crime scene b. Containing drug evidence c. Not documented in photographs

d. Collected and removed from the crime scene Answer: d

Objective: Describe the process and importance of creating a rough and finished crime-scene sketch.

26. A rough sketch does not need to include which one of the following? a. Compass heading designating north

b. Date, location, and time c. Sketch of the suspect

d. Location of all recovered physical evidence Answer: c

Objective: Describe the process and importance of creating a rough and finished crime-scene sketch.

27. In a crime-scene sketch, the location of an item of evidence is specified in terms of its precise distance from points of reference that:

a. Are fixed or immovable. b. Are within ten feet of the item.

c. Are located outside the boundaries of the crime scene. d. Can be transported to the crime laboratory.

Answer: a

Objective: Describe the process and importance of creating rough and finished crime-scene sketches.

28. Which measurement method would be best for documenting the position of evidence in a sketch of an outdoor crime scene?

a. Rectangular method b. Polar coordinates method

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c. Triangulation method d. Baseline method Answer: d

29. CAD programs enhance the ability to: a. Take complete notes.

b. Produce a finished crime-scene sketch. c. Develop photographs.

d. Edit video recordings. Answer: b

30. To show the depth of a three-dimensional object in a photograph, from what angle should it be illuminated? a. 90 degrees b. 45 degrees c. Acute d. Oblique Answer: d

31. Which type of compression leads to a loss of image content? a. Lossless

b. TIFF c. Lossy d. RAW Answer: c

Page number: 66 Level: Intermediate Chapter 3 True-False

1. Single lens reflex (SLR) and digital single lens reflex cameras allow the photographer to manually select the resolution.