Forensics Unit 1 Chp. 1-3 Review Sheet
True/False
____ 1. Testimonial evidence is generally much more reliable than physical evidence.
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2. In criminal law a person must be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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3. A forensic scientist must link evidence to a crime and to the suspects by identifying and comparing relevant
material.
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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 contendere
b. corpus delecti
d. pro bono
____ 25. Criminal law is sometimes referred to as:
a. civil law
c. public law
b. private law
d. common law
____ 26. Evidence is admissible if it:
a. addresses an issue
c. is reliable
b. is relevant
d. all of the above
____ 27. Evidence is
a. anything found at a crime scene
b. 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 cases
b. 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 amendment
b. 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 courts
b. 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. firearms
b. biology
d. document examination
____ 32. What would be considered the job of a forensic scientist?
a. to provide expert testimony
b. 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 prison
b. 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 examination
b. biology
d. firearms
____ 35. The effectiveness of an expert’s testimony is almost always dependent on:
a. the experience of the expert
b. 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 witness
b. 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 crime
b. 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 crimes
b. 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. toolmarks
b. testimony
d. soil
____ 40. If evidence has class characteristics, it
a. can link a suspect to a crime with certainty
b. 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 scene
b. 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 scene
b. 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 legend
b. 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. paint
b. soil
d. blood type
____ 45. Which of the following is NOT a form of documentation at a crime scene?
a. notes
c. collecting evidence
b. photography
d. sketches
____ 46. The characteristic ways that a criminal goes about a crime is called his/her:
a. modus operandi
c. corpus delicti
b. nolo contendere
d. prima facie
____ 47. A term that means supplying proof or evidence is:
a. material
c. probative
b. 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 committed
b. 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 victim
b. 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 systematically
b. 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 fumes
b. in a flame proof container
c. in a rigid wood container
d. frozen to prevent mold