Crj 5150: Criminalistics Final Exam

Front 1

What were the three major innocations of the Bertillon (Anthropometry) system? (Be able to describe them.

Back 1

Standardized terminology of identification. Standardized the full-face and right profile in mugshots.
3. Developed a system of body measurements that could be indexed and retrieved later.

Front 2

What are the characteristics of an ideal Personal Identification (Biometric) System?

Back 2

1. Useful throughout an entire lifetime.
2. Robust; Difficult to lose accidentally.
3. Difficult to alter intentionally.
4. Easily indexed and retrieved.
5. Highly individual.
6. Repeatable and reliable.
7. Useful for all people.
8. Universal format for all law enforcement agencies.
9. Fast and easy to use.

Front 3

How many 'points' of comparison are required in order to state that a questioned and known fingerprint came from the same source? (Explain)

Back 3

No minimum number of features. Only standard is examiner's judgment. (1973).

Front 4

Are fingerprint powders used to process porous or nonporous surfaces? Is chemical processing (iodine, ninhydrin, etc.) used for porous or nonporous surfaces? Explain the difference.

Back 4

Fingerprint Powders- Nonporous Surfaces. (Does not absorb sweat)

Chemical Processing- Porous Surfaces. (paper) (absorbs sweat)

Difference between the two depends on what else is present on the evidence.

Front 5

Understand glass fracture. Be able to determine the direction from which a piece of glass was broken.

Back 5

4 R Rule.

Ridges along
Radial fracture lines form
Right-Angles to the
Rear (Opposite of where the force originated)

Front 6

Be able to discuss the individuality of trace evidence: whether there are ever situations when an item of trace evidence can be mtched back to a single source. (why/why not)

Back 6

There are situations when an item of trace evidence can be matched back to asingle source. Things like rare soil, or other biological materials. On the other hand, things like carpet fibers ar enot as conclusive because many people might have that same carpet or it might be mass produced.

TLDR: Depends on the evidence.

Front 7

What is the fire triangle?

Back 7

Fire, Heat (Spark), Oxygen (Oxydizer).

Front 8

What types of evidence are best-suited to link a suspect to an rson or explosives incident?

Back 8

The best evidence to link the suspect to the scene is that evidence which can survice a fire/explosion. Most often that is tool mark evidence. Tool marks may be left behind the manufacture of timers, detonators, ignition devices, and so on.

Front 9

Difference between high and low explosives. Definitions and the difference in effects.

Back 9

High- Caused to explode by physical shock, spark, etc. Not the explosion used to cause that material to explode. Very sensitive to shock and disturbances.

Low- Burn rapidly, do not detonate unless contained. Require some sort of ignition (fuse or spark) to decompose. Low explosives do the damage.

Front 10

Why must low explosives be placed inside a container (e.g. pipe) in order to explode.

Back 10

Material is not able to detonate on its own.

Front 11

Method Question:

Given a suspected arson scenario, explain your method to search, document, collect nd package the evidence. (This is a potential essay question, so be detailed). Explain your thought process. What would you hope to prove or disprove from the evidence collected?

Back 11

Take pictures and document, look for valuables missing and other staged evidence. Sometimes paper trail will survive.

First, evidence is documented (ideally while the fire is still in progress) Then, the point of origin is determined (if possible). Then the ignition device/source is collected.

Front 12

Describe measures that may be necessary to fingerprint a body found underwater. Describe measures for a body found in the desert.

Back 12

Desert- Skin on the fingertips will need to be rehydrted.
Underwater- Skin on fingertips will need to be dehydrated.

Front 13

The difference between presumptive (screening) and confirmatory tests. Why is it important to do both (if possible)?

Back 13

Preliminary (Presumptive/Screening)Test- Gives an indication that something might be there, cheap and faster than confirmatory tests.

Confirmatory tests- Proves that the material or substance tested for is actually present.

It is important to do both if possible, because occaisionally the preliminary test can be a false positive.

Front 14

For the different DNA methods, you can refer to them by their abbreviations (RFLP, STR, PCR and mtDNA. You do not need to explain in detail how they work, but should understand what they do, and/or what is special about that particular method.

Back 14

RFLP- Genetic Fingerprinting and Genome Mapping.
STR- Easy, Stable and Predictable data- Used to identify people.
PCR- Can generate up to millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence out of a single or a few copies of a piece of DNA.
mtDNA- Usef for identification. USeful in analyzing degrated samples, or samples that lack nuclear DNA (hair, bone and teeth).

Front 15

Know the questions that cna be answered by blood spatter evidence (angle of impct, direction of travel, etc.)

Back 15

Higher the height, larger the drop will be (Maxes out at 6 or 7'). The thick part of the drop, if dropped at an angle, will point to the point of origin.

Front 16

Modern DNA methods are dramatically more sensitive (~250x >1985). Name an advantage and potential disadvantage (or difficulty) to this increased sensitivity.

Back 16

Advantage- Narrow down to a specific person with a high percent of being accurate.

Disadvantage- False positives.

Front 17

Method Question:

Given a scenario with bodily fluid evidence, describe how you would search for, colelct and package that evidence.

Back 17

Wet blood=dry swab.
Dried Blood=Swab moistened with distilled water.

Dry bloody items ASAP and store in paper.

Front 18

Give a short definition (1 or 2 sentences) for Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion.

Back 18

Process of how human body absorbs drugs.
Abosorption- material enters body through the blodstream, then is distributed from one compartment to another in the human body, metabolized to facilitate removal usually through urine, excreted through kidnesy, feces, perspiration, hair, etc.

Front 19

Name two types of controlled substances and explain their methods of use (snorted, smoked, etc.) as well as their effects (stimilant, depressant, etc.)

Back 19

S1- illegal drugs without medical benefit. Ex: Heroin, Injected, depressant.
S2: Drugs with medical use and high abuse potential.
Ex: Adderall, snorted, stimulant.

Front 20

Drug Absorption:

Why is marijuana absorbed better in brownies than if eaten raw? Why is crack more potent (for a shorter duration) than powder cocaine?

Back 20

Weed is aborbed better in brownies than if eaten raw because the heat from cooking activates the THC. Chemicals are relased an dbroken down, allowing an easier entrance into the bloodstream.

Crack is more potent because it is inhaled through the lungs directly into the bloodstream. Allows drug to enter the bloodstream quickly and efficiently. Allows for a quick high.