Crime Scene Basics
What does “CSI” stand for?
Crime Scene Investigation
What kind of evidence includes things like hair, fibers, or soil?
Trace Evidence
Which fictional detective is known for saying “Elementary, my dear Watson”?
Sherlock Holmes
What part of your body is unique to you and used for identification?
Fingerprints
What does the acronym “FBI” stand for?
Federal Bureau of Investigation
What’s the first thing investigators do when they arrive at a crime scene?
Secure the scene
What do we call an object or material that can link a suspect to a crime?
Physical evidence
What famous unsolved case involved a series of murders in London in the 1880s?
Jack the Ripper
What can dental records help identify?
A victim’s identity
What’s the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?
Felonies are more serious crimes
What is the purpose of wearing gloves at a crime scene?
To avoid contaminating evidence
What do investigators take photos of before collecting evidence?
The entire crime scene / evidence in its original position
Who is the real-life criminal known for leaving coded letters to the police in the 1960s?
The Zodiac Killer
What does DNA stand for?
Deoxyribonucleic acid
What document gives police permission to search someone’s property?
A search warrant
What do investigators use to photograph and sketch before collecting anything?
The crime scene layout
What kind of light helps find hidden bodily fluids or fibers?
UV light / black light
What famous forensic scientist pioneered fingerprint classification in the late 1800s?
Sir Francis Galton
What kind of evidence can show how long someone has been dead?
Time of death / rigor mortis / decomposition clues
What constitutional right protects you from self-incrimination?
The Fifth Amendment
What’s the term for the pattern or arrangement of blood at a scene that helps reconstruct what happened?
Blood spatter (or bloodstain pattern analysis)
What is used to lift fingerprints from smooth surfaces?
Fingerprint powder and tape
Which case in the 1990s popularized DNA evidence in courtrooms?
The O.J. Simpson trial
What is the study of insects on a dead body called?
Forensic entomology
What term means “beyond a reasonable doubt”?
The level of proof needed to convict in criminal court