Hair Characteristics
What three characteristics of hair can help determine a person's race, age, and gender?
Color, texture, and length.
What part of the hair can provide DNA evidence for identification?
The roots of the hair can provide DNA evidence
How can testosterone affect hair follicle drug testing accuracy?
Testosterone can alter the chemical composition and structure of hair follicles, impacting the accuracy of drug tests.
What can investigators learn from hair found at a crime scene?
Investigators can gather information about the individual, including race, age, and gender.
Why is hair alone insufficient for individual identification?
Because it lacks definitive markers without the presence of follicular cells.
How does the cuticle of human hair differ from that of non-human hair?
The medulla of human hair is discontinuous or absent. The medulla of non human hair is continuous.
Why is hair analysis considered a powerful forensic tool?
It can link a person to a crime scene by providing important clues and evidence.
What might a false negative in a drug test indicate?
It may indicate that a person is clean when they may have actually used drugs in the past.
How can hair analysis be used to solve crimes?
By linking a person to a crime scene through unique hair characteristics.
What are the key differences in hair structure between humans and non-humans?
The cuticle patterns and medulla characteristics differ significantly between the two.
Why is hair analysis often compared to fingerprints?
Because the characteristics of a person's hair can be unique to that individual, similar to how fingerprints are unique.
How can chemical analysis of hair be beneficial in forensic science?
It can reveal if the person used drugs or was exposed to certain chemicals.
Describe an analogy that illustrates how testosterone affects hair follicle testing.
Changing testosterone is like changing the combination on a safe, making the old combination ineffective for accessing the contents.
Give an example of how hair analysis can reflect a person's activities.
Different segments of hair can show exposure to drugs or chemicals over time.
What challenges does hair analysis face when dealing with transgender individuals?
Changes in hair follicle structure due to testosterone can affect the accuracy of drug tests
What is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and where is it found?
mtDNA is a circular piece of DNA located inside the mitochondria of our cells.
What is the key limitation of using hair for individual identification?
Hair alone, without follicular cells, cannot definitively identify a person
Why might the test results be inaccurate for someone who has taken testosterone for an extended period?
The testosterone can make hair thicker and coarser, making it harder for the test to detect substances.
In what way is hair analysis similar to analyzing fingerprints?
Both provide unique identifiers for individuals and can be used in forensic investigations.
How can the limitations of hair analysis impact criminal investigations?
If hair is not properly analyzed or if it is misidentified, it can lead to wrongful conclusions in investigations.
How can hair serve as a sense organ?
Hair can detect and respond to stimuli in the environment, providing information about surrounding conditions.
What analogy is used to describe hair analysis in relation to a person's life?
Hair analysis is like a fingerprint for the body - just as fingerprints are unique to each person, the characteristics of a person's hair can be used to identify them.
How does the hair follicle function in relation to drug detection?
The hair follicle can store substances, and changes in its structure can affect the test's ability to read these substances accurately.
What is a key takeaway regarding the use of hair in forensic science?
Hair analysis is a powerful tool that can provide significant evidence in criminal investigations.
How can testosterone affect the accuracy of hair follicle drug tests?
Testosterone can alter the chemical composition and structure of the hair follicle. This can affect the accuracy of hair follicle drug tests, which are used to detect the presence of certain substances in a person's body.