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75 Cards in this Set
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forensic science
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application of science to the criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a crimnal justice system
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Calvin Goddard (1891-1955)
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invented comparison microscope
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Edmond Locard (1877-1966)
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Exchange Principle--whenever two objects come into contact with one another, there is exchange of materials bewtween them
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physical science unit
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principles and techniques of chemistry, physics, and geology
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biology unit
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DNA profiling on dried bloodstains and other body fluids, compare hairs and fibers, ID and compare botanical materials
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firearms unit
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examines firearms, discharged bullets, cartidge cases, shotgun shells, and ammo of all types
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document examination unit
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studies handwriting and typewriting on quesitoned documents to ascertain authenticity and/or source
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photography unit
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examines and records physical evidence
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toxicology unit
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examines body fluids and organs to determine the presence or absence pf drugs and poisons
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latent fingerprint unit
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submitted with other lab processes and examines eveidence for latent fingerprints whent they are exams
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polygraph unit
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lie detector-results are not generally accepted in trial
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voiceprint analysis unit
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matches voiceprints to suspects
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Crime-Scene Investigation Unit
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this unit dispatches specially trained personnel (civilian and/or police) to the crime scene to collect and preserve physical evidence that will later be processed at the crime lab
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Expert witness
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an individual whom the court determines to possess knowledge relevant to the trial that is not expected of the average layperson
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Autopsy
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the medical dissection and examination of a body in order to determine the cause of death
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Rigor mortis
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the medical condition that occurs after death and results in the stiffening of muscle mass. The rigidly of the body normally occurs within 24 hours of death and disappears within 36 hours
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Livor mortis
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the medical condition that occurs after death and results in the settling of blood in the areas of the body closest to the ground.
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Algor mortis
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postmortem changes that cause a body to lose heat
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Forensic anthropology
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concerned primarily with the identification and examination of human skeletal remains
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Forensic entomology
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study of insects and their relation to a criminal investigation
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Forensic psychiatry
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specialized area in which the relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings is examined
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Forensic odontology
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help identify victims when the body is left in and unrecognizable state by examining the teeth
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Forensic engineering
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concerned with failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and causes and origins of fires or explosions
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Forensic computer and digital analysis
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involves the identification, collection, preservation, and examination of information derived from computers and other digital services such as cell phones
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Physical evidence
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any object that can establish that a crime has been committed or can link a crime and its victim or its perpetrator
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Rough sketch
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a draft representation of all essential information and measurements at a crime scene; this sketch is drawn at the crime scene
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Finished sketch
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precise rendering of the crime scene, usually drawn to scale
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Chain of custody
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a list of all people who came into possession of an item of evidence
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Standard/reference sample
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physical evidence whose origin is known, such as blood or hair from a suspect that can be compared to crime scene evidence
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Buccal swab
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a swab from the inner portion of the cheek; cheek cells are usually collected to determine the DNA profile of an individual
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Substrate control
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uncontaminated surface material close to an area where physical evidence has been deposited; this sample is to be used to ensure that the surface on which a sample has been deposited does not interfere with lab tests
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Types of physical evidence
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blood, semen, saliva, documents, drugs, explosives, fibers, fingerprints, firearms and ammunition, glass, hair, impressions, organs and physiological fluids, paint, petroleum products, plastic bags, plastic, rubber, other polymers, powder residues, serial numbers, soil and minerals, tool marks, vehicle lights, wood and other vegetative matter
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Identification
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the process of determining a substance’s physical or chemical identity; drug analysis, species determination, and explosive residue, analysis are typical examples are typical examples of this undertaking in a forensic setting
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Comparison
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the process of ascertaining whether two or more objects have a common origin
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Individual characteristics
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properties of evidence that can be attributed to a common source with an extremely high degree of certainty
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Class characteristics
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properties of evidence that can be associated only with a group and never with a single source
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Product rule
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multiplying together the frequencies of independently occurring genetic markers to obtain an overall frequency of occurrence for a genetic profile
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IAFIS
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integrated automated fingerprint identification system; national fingerprint and criminal history system maintained by the FBI
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AFIS
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automated fingerprint identification system; linked to the FBI’s IAFIS
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CODIS
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Combined DNA Index System; enable federal, state, and local crime labs to electronically exchange and compare DNA profiles, thereby linking crimes to each other and to convicted offenders
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NIBIN
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National integrated ballistics information network; maintained by the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives, allows firearms analysts to acquire, digitalize, and compare markings made by a firearm on bullets and cartridge casings recovered from crime scenes
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PDQ
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International forensic automotive paint data query; database that contains chemical and color information pertaining to original automotive paints.
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Reconstruction
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the method used to support a likely sequence of events by observing and evaluating physical evidence and statements made by those involved with the accident
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Physical property
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describes the behavior of a substance without having to alter the substance’s composition through a chemical reaction
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Chemical property
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describes the behavior of a substance when it reacts or combines woth another substance
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Fahrenheit scale
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the temperature scale using the melting point of ice as 32˚ and the boiling point of water as 212˚, with 180 equal divisions or degrees between
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Celsius scale
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the temperature scale using the melting point of ice as 0˚ and the boiling point of water as 100˚, with 100 equal divisions or degrees between
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Weight
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a property of matter that depends on both the mass of a substance and the effects of gravity on that mass
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Mass
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a constant property of matter that reflects the amount of material present
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Density
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a physical property of matter that is equivalent to the mass per unit volume of a substance
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Intensive property
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a property that is not dependant on the size of an object
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Refraction
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the bending of a light wave as it passes from one medium to another
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Refractive index
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the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to its speed in a given substance
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Crystalline solid
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a solid in which the constituent atoms have a regular arrangement
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Atom
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the smallest unit of an element; not divisible by ordinary chemical means; atoms are made up of electrons, protons, and neutrons plus other subatomic particles
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Amorphous solid
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a solid in which the constituent atoms or molecules are arranged in random or disordered positions; there is no regular order in amorphous solids
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Birefringence
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a difference in the two indices of refraction exhibited by most crystalline materials
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Dispersion
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the separation of light into its component wavelengths
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Tempered glass
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glass that is strengthened by introducing stress through rapid heating and cooling of the glass surfaces
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Laminated glass
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two sheets of ordinary glass bonded with a plastic film
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Becke line
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a bright halo that is observed near the border of a particle immersed in a liquid of a different refractive index
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Radial fracture
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a crack in a glass that extends outward like the spoke of a wheel from the point at which the glass was struck
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concentric fracture
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a crack in a glass that forms a rough circle around the point of impact
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mineral
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a naturally occuring crystalline solid
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denisty-gradient tube
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a glass tube filled from bottom to top with liquids of successfully lighter densities; used to determine the density distribution of soil
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matter
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all things of substance; composed of atoms or molecules
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element
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a fundemental particle of matter; an element cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means
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Periodic Table
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a chart of elements arranged in a systematic fahion; verticle rows are called groups or families; horizontal rows are called series; elements in a given row have similar properties
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compound
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a pure substance composed of two or more elements
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Physical state
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a condition or stage in the form of matter; a solid, liquid, or gas
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solid
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a state of matter in which the molecules are held closely together in a rigid state
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liquid
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a state of matter in which molecules are in contact with one another but are not rigidly held in place
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gas (vapor)
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a state of matter in which the attractive forces between molecules are small enough to permit them to move with complete freedom
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sublimation
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a physical change form the solid state directly into the gaseous state
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phase
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a uniform body of matter; different phases are separated by deifnite visible boundaries
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