Terms & Tools
Landmark Study on Crime Labs in the US
Documentary: The Real CSI
Major Scandals & Mistakes in Crime Labs
Crime Lab Scandal in Massachusetts
100
This is a phenomenon reported by prosecutors who claim that television shows based on scientific crime solving have made actual jurors reluctant to vote to convict when, as is typically true, forensic evidence is neither necessary nor available.
What is the CSI Effect?
100
Name the agency responsible for conducting the examination of the forensic science system (crime labs) in the United States.
What is the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)?
100
This is the standard for how many points of comparison there should be before a fingerprint examiner declares a fingerprint a "match."
What is "There is no standard number of points of comparison?"
100
This is the number of major failures (scandals, fraud, contamination of evidence, widespread lack of training for personnel, etc) that have occurred in U.S. crime labs in recent years.
What is at least 100?
100
This is the name of the chemist convicted of deliberately compromising drug samples at the lab.
Who is Annie Dookhan?
200
Name the "gold standard" in forensic science.
What is DNA analysis?
200
Name the year that the landmark study on crime labs in the U.S. was published.
What is 2009?
200
This is the number of fingerprint examiners that declared the partial fingerprint left on the bag of detonators at the Madrid subway bombings a "perfect match" to Brandon Mayfield.
What is four?
200
This is the number of cases that the FBI is currently reviewing due to samples it mishandled.
What is over 21,000?
200
This the number of cases that may have been compromised due to the crime lab scandal in Massachusetts.
What is between 34,000 - 40,000 cases?
300
Name ONE impact of the CSI effect discussed in class.
What is (1) Jurors and the public expect more from forensic science because of the exaggerated/inaccurate portrayal of forensic science on crime television shows. (2) Criminals watch television and there is evidence that they are changing their behavior to avoid being caught. (3) In some cases, it can be a positive thing. There have been cases where jurors have added insight to an investigation and have helped get innocent individuals exonerated.
300
Name ONE of the major recommendations of the report on forensic science system in the U.S.
What is Certification and accreditation should be mandatory Court testimony should be grounded in science and should acknowledge uncertainty Strong independent leadership needed
300
According to this documentary, this is the most controversial forensic technique used today.
What is bite mark analysis?
300
Bad science has contributed to at least this many overturned convictions since 1989 in the U.S.
What is at least 150?
300
The chemist involved in the drug lab scandal frequently tested this many times as many samples as her co-workers.
What is 5 times?
400
After the Mayfield case, this type of expert will no longer testify to "100% match" or "zero error rate."
What is fingerprint analyst?
400
A recent survey of crime labs found this percentage of them to be understaffed.
What is 80%?
400
According to this documentary, this is the total number of "expert witnesses" that testified in the Casey Anthony trial.
What is 37?
400
This is the estimated number of rape kits that remain untested around the country, sitting in evidence rooms because of lack of funding.
What is over 40,000?
400
This is the sentence that the rogue chemist in MA crime lab scandal was given after being convicted.
What is 3-5 years?
500
Name TWO types of forensic sciences/forensic techniques that have not been subjected to sufficient scientific evaluation.
What is ballistics, fingerprint examination, hair microscopy, fire investigation, bite mark analysis, shoe print analysis, etc.
500
The report on crime labs in the U.S. strongly urges Congress to establish a new, independent body to lead research efforts, establish and enforce standards for forensic science professionals and laboratories, and oversee education standards.
What is the National Institute of Forensic Science?
500
According to this documentary, this is the pass rate for the certification exams in forensic science offered by the American College of Forensic Examiners International (ACFEI).
What is 99%?
500
Name ONE of the ways that Annie Dookhan manipulated drug tests.
What is Did not test all drugs samples (yet claimed she had) Deliberately tainted drug evidence Mixed evidence so it would test positive for drugs when it was actually clean Forged signatures on drug testing paperwork Lied about her qualifications under oath
500
This is the number of convicted felons that have been released due to the Boston drug lab scandal.
What is at least 500?
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