FORENSICS
MIDTERM REVIEW-Sample Questions
MRS. TOTH
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION
Who was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?
Define: Evidence-Collection Unit
Which unit is responsible for accident reconstruction and determining the cause of fires and
explosions?
Where was the first forensic lab in the United States?
What is forensic odontology?
Describe the following:
Edmond Locard
Alphonse Betrillon
Karl Landsteiner
Albert Osborn
Leon Lattes
Francis Galton
What does a forensic entomologist study?
Describe the types of evidence the biology unit of a forensic lab would examine.
Explain the Locard Exchange Theory.
Is the CSI show true of what happens in real life during crime scene investigation? Why or Why not?
What is anthropometry and who invented it?
What does a forensic pathologist deal with on a routine basis?
Where are most polygraphs located these days?
Define criminalistics.
What problems are associated with Bertillon’s system of measurements?
What was the significance of the yogurt cup in the Richard Chase case study?
UNIT 2: Trace Evidence
What is the difference between human hair and animal hair?
What are the three microscopic parts of hair? Draw them.
What is an exemplar?
What is meant by “trace evidence”?
What is a microspectrophotometer?
What is “match evidence”?
What are “vibrissa”?
What are some important tools used by those who locate trace evidence?
What is “epidermis”?
Explain what “metameric” colors are.
What are the 3 stages of hair growth?
How do you know if a hair has been forcibly removed?
Why is does the cuticle pattern of a piece of hair not always identify it as human or nonhuman?
Unit 3: Document Analysis
What are the four primary factors for analysis in document analysis? Check your notes.
What is natural variation?
Describe the chromatography technique, completely.
How does electrostatic detection work?
Who are Palmer and Zaner-Blosser?
What did the lab “Did Pete Cheat?” demonstrate and indicate?
What are obliterations?
What were some errors in the Bruno Hauptmann investigation?
What is the significance of the court case Gilbert v. California?
What are some important details about the Lindberg baby ransom notes?
List five characteristics held by the writer of the JonBenet Ramsey note according to psychiatrist
Andrew Hodges.
What are diacritics?
Why do the police usually have suspects give many samples of handwriting?
Describe 2 ways that a document can be altered. Be specific.
What indicators should you use to reveal messages written in an acid? A base?
What are some other ways that documents can be examined? Special techniques? Besides looking
at handwriting, what else might a document be examined for?
Unit 4: Crime Scene Investigation
What are the first 4 priorities of a crime scene?
What are some typical items in an investigators crime scene kit? How is each item used?
Can you sketch a crime scene? Can you make a scale? Proper way to make windows and doors on
a sketch?
What is datum?
What is the relevance of Edmond Lockard’s principle at a crime scene?
Describe the type of protective equipment a CSI person should wear at a crime scene? Why?
Difference between scene of the crime and crime scene?
Do all CSI personnel carry the same job title? If not, what are some other job titles for this position?
What are the 4 primary search patterns? Draw/sketch each.
Explain how to maintain proper “chain of custody”. Explain it also.
What types of containers should the following pieces of evidence be packaged in: bloody hands,
bullet, broken glass, hair/fibers
Give some examples of when evidence would become inadmissible in court.
Explain what the difference is between class evidence and individual evidence is.
Who are some of the first people allowed to enter the scene of a crime? What is their job profession?
How do photographers prevent the loss of “size” when photographing shoe impressions and other
objects where size is important?
What were some mistakes in the JonBenet Ramsey investigation?
**Review all tests, notes, and labs. Articles, especially those discussed in class are also fair game for
the midterm.**
IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN ONE NIGHT OF CRAMMING TO DO WELL ON THIS TEST! DON’T
WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! GOOD LUCK!