Forensics Unit 1 Chp. 1-3 Review Sheet
True/False
____1.Testimonial evidence is generally much more reliable than physical evidence.
____2.In criminal law a person must be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
____3.A forensic scientist must link evidence to a crime and to the suspects by identifying and comparing relevant material.
____4.Individual evidence has more probative value than class evidence.
____5.Class evidence can have probative value.
____6.Individual evidence can have probative value.
____7.A felony is considered a serious crime.
____8.An expert witness can give his/her opinion in a court of law.
____9.A forensic scientist must always work in a lab.
____10.All cities, regardless of their size, have their own crime labs.
____11.Fingerprints would be considered individual characteristics.
____12.Blood typing would be considered an individual characteristic.
____13.Junk science is allowed as evidence under the Daubert ruling.
____14.Crime scene investigation is based on the use of the scientific method, the Locard Principal, logic and forensic techniques.
____15.ADAPT is an acronym for the duties of the coroner or medical examiner at a crime scene.
____16.A crime scene sketch may have probative value if entered as evidence in a court of law.
____17.The first officer on the scene is responsible for taking crime scene photos.
____18.The crime scene investigator collects everything at the scene, not knowing what will be important later.
____19.Crime scenes are always searched in a grid to ensure that all potential evidence is found.
____20.The crime scene officer will analyze the evidence that is collected at a crime scene.
____21.There are several different methods of documenting a crime scene.
____22.If a crime scene investigator takes photos of a crime scene, it is not necessary to take notes.
____23.At a crime scene, the body is the property of the coroner or medical examiner’s office, and they collect the evidence found on it.
Multiple Choice
____24.The term that means that previous legal decisions are to be followed is:
a. / stare decisis / c. / nolo contendereb. / corpus delecti / d. / pro bono
____25.Criminal law is sometimes referred to as:
a. / civil law / c. / public lawb. / private law / d. / common law
____26.Evidence is admissible if it:
a. / addresses an issue / c. / is reliableb. / is relevant / d. / all of the above
____27.Evidence is
a. / anything found at a crime sceneb. / anything that tends to establish or disprove a fact
c. / anything that is admissible in court
d. / something that can only be determined by the arresting officer
____28.Forensic scientists may examine evidence dealing with:
a. / criminal cases / c. / both civil and criminal casesb. / civil cases / d. / neither
____29.The right to remain silent and the right to an attorney is covered in:
a. / the first amendment / c. / the fifth amendmentb. / the fourth amendment / d. / the Miranda rights
____30.Which of the following is NOT true concerning the Daubert Ruling
a. / it applies only to state courtsb. / a theory must be testable
c. / the rate of error must be given for evidence admissibility
d. / a theory must be subject to peer review
____31.Which crime unit would analyze blood stains?
a. / physical science / c. / firearmsb. / biology / d. / document examination
____32.What would be considered the job of a forensic scientist?
a. / to provide expert testimonyb. / to train or oversee others in collecting evidence at a crime scene
c. / to examine evidence found at a crime scene
d. / all of the above
____33.Violations of civil law are punishable by:
a. / fines / c. / up to three years in prisonb. / less than one year in prison / d. / could be any of the above
____34.Which crime unit would analyze soil?
a. / physical science / c. / document examinationb. / biology / d. / firearms
____35.The effectiveness of an expert’s testimony is almost always dependent on:
a. / the experience of the expertb. / the educational background of the expert
c. / the ability of the expert to talk in clear, concise language
d. / all of the above
____36.Testimonial evidence is:
a. / a statement made under oath by a competent witnessb. / verbal statements made by the prosecutor to establish a fact
c. / used to determine the significance of class evidence
d. / the same as indirect evidence
____37.The reliability of eye witness accounts can be affected by:
a. / the type of crimeb. / the interviewing technique used by the investigator
c. / the time between the crime and the interview
d. / all of the above
____38.The significance of the Ronald Cotton case:
a. / it shows that a serial killer can be indicted 20 years after the crimesb. / it demonstrates the fallibility of eyewitness accounts
c. / that a person can be convicted of murder, even without a body
d. / that a person can be convicted without individual evidence
____39.Which is the following is NOT considered physical evidence?
a. / fiber / c. / toolmarksb. / testimony / d. / soil
____40.If evidence has class characteristics, it
a. / can link a suspect to a crime with certaintyb. / has more probative value than direct evidence
c. / can exonerate innocent suspects
d. / all of the above
____41.The first step that an officer takes when approaching a crime scene is to:
a. / begin to document the crime sceneb. / check the body if there is one, and get medical attention
c. / isolate possible witnesses
d. / observe the scene for possible evidence
____42.Controls are collected from:
a. / samples at the lab / c. / the crime sceneb. / known suspects or the victim / d. / all of the above
____43.In addition to videotape, crime scene sketches
a. / add detail / c. / contain a key or legendb. / show scale and placement of evidence / d. / all of these are true
____44.Which of the following would be considered individual evidence?
a. / DNA / c. / paintb. / soil / d. / blood type
____45.Which of the following is NOT a form of documentation at a crime scene?
a. / notes / c. / collecting evidenceb. / photography / d. / sketches
____46.The characteristic ways that a criminal goes about a crime is called his/her:
a. / modus operandi / c. / corpus delictib. / nolo contendere / d. / prima facie
____47.A term that means supplying proof or evidence is:
a. / material / c. / probativeb. / direct / d. / prima facie
____48.Which of the following is NOT true about the value of physical evidence
a. / it can prove that a crime has been committedb. / it is always individual evidence
c. / it can link a suspect with a victim or crime scene
d. / it can allow investigators to reconstruct a crime
e. / b and d are not true
f. / none of these are true
____49.Known or control sample could come from:
a. / the crime scene / c. / the victimb. / a known suspect / d. / all of the above
____50.Which of the following is NOT true concerning evidence collection?
a. / it should be carried out systematicallyb. / it should always be done by one person
c. / it should be done thoroughly
d. / all of these are true
____51.Evidence from a suspected arson must be packaged:
a. / in an airtight container to prevent evaporation of possible fumesb. / in a flame proof container
c. / in a rigid wood container
d. / frozen to prevent mold