Chapter 1
Application of the scientific method to matters of the law.
Forensic Science
Minute amounts of calculable physical evidence such as skin cells or DNA.
What is Locard's Principle of Exchange?
When a person comes in contact with an object or another person, a cross transfer of physical evidence can occur.
Examples include: blood and saliva.
Biological Evidence
Division of federal crime labs which are concerned with the investigation of firearms, bullets and trajectory.
Ballistics Unit
What is direct evidence?
Firsthand, eyewitness or auditory observations of a crime.
Who developed an anthropometric system for human identification in the 1890’s?
Alphonse Bertillon
The light is on in the room, the back door is unlocked, the bookshelf thrown on the floor - these examples represent this type of physical evidence.
Conditional Evidence
This division of federal crime labs test things like hair, fibers and unknown substances found at a crime scene.
Trace Evidence Unit
What is circumstantial or indirect evidence?
Evidence that implies a fact, but does not actually prove it. Physical evidence is any object or material that is relevant in a crime.
Which professionals go to a crime scene and collect evidence?
Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs)
What type of evidence is a shoe impression? Explain your answer.
Circumstantial, physical, class.
Refers to the branch of science which involves the study of insects as they relate to or are involved in court cases.
Forensic Entomology
What are the 4 Major Federal Crime Labs?
FBI Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) US Postal Inspection Service.
Identifies skeletal remains and determines gender, age, race or marks or trauma.
Forensic Anthropologist
Nail polish is classified under this category of physical evidence.
Chemical Evidence
What is the difference between a criminalist and a criminologist?
Criminalist - involves the application of scientific method only (search for how)
Criminologist - application of scientific method with an added psychological angle (search for why, not just how)
List three contributions that can be made by the forensic examination of physical evidence?
1. Linking a victim to a suspect 2. Identifying the chemical nature of unknown powders 3. Corroborating statements made by witnesses.
What is the CSI Effect?
When a jury or the public places an unreasonable expectation on forensic scientists or labs based on dramatizations from television or movies.
Explain the difference between class & individual evidence AND give an example of each.
Individual= can connect a specific person (individual) to the crime.
Class= narrows down the number of people to a group, can be used to eliminate suspects but NOT to identify a singular culprit.