Forensic Basics
Forensic science is the application of ______ to matters of law.
Science
A bloody shirt is an example of this type of evidence.
Biological/Physical Evidence
This is always done before evidence is moved.
Answer: Photograph/sketch/document the scene
True or False: Eyewitness testimony is always reliable.
False
This case involved five teenagers wrongfully convicted for a 1989 assault in New York City.
Central Park Five
The term for the person who studies and analyzes physical evidence in a lab.
Forensic Scientist
A strand of hair with no root would be considered this type of evidence.
Class/Trace Evidence
Why should biological evidence never be packaged in plastic?
Moisture can cause mold and destroy DNA
The difference between observation and perception.
Observation = recording facts; Perception = interpretation by the brain
This man was wrongfully convicted due to mistaken eyewitness identification, later exonerated by DNA.
Ronald Cotton
This is the first step an investigator must take when arriving at a crime scene.
Secure the Scene
A suspect’s search history on a laptop is this type of evidence.
Digital Evidence
Name two common crime scene search patterns.
Answer: Spiral, grid, line/strip, zone
Name one factor that can affect an eyewitness’s memory.
Answer: Stress, lighting, bias, length of time
This serial killer was caught partly through forensic evidence linking him to multiple crime scenes, including bite marks.
Ted Bundy
Define “chain of custody.”
A documented record of who collected, handled, transferred, and stored evidence
A fingerprint found at a scene is considered this kind of evidence.
Physical/Individual Evidence
Which type of search pattern is best for large outdoor crime scenes?
➡️ Answer: Line/strip search
In the Ronald Cotton case, what type of evidence proved his innocence?
DNA Evidence
This UK case was the first to use DNA profiling in a criminal conviction, linking a man to the murder of two girls.
Colin Pitchfork
Class vs. individual evidence – give an example of each.
Class = fiber, paint, soil; Individual = DNA, fingerprint, broken glass match
Explain why soil samples found on shoes might be valuable evidence.
Soil has unique characteristics that can link a suspect to a specific location
List three methods investigators use to document a crime scene.
Answer: Notes, photographs, sketches
Why is accurate observation critical in forensic investigations?
Errors and bias can lead to wrongful convictions
This principle states that every contact leaves a trace, forming the basis for linking people and objects in a crime scene.
Locard’s Exchange Principle