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Introduction to Forensics and the Crime Scene

Terms in this set (31)

Analytical Skills
the ability to identify a concept or problem, to isolate its component parts, to organize information for decision making, to establish criteria for evaluation, and to draw appropriate conclusions
Deductive Reasoning
deriving the consequences from the facts using a series of logical steps
Eyewitness
a person who has seen someone or something and can communicate these facts
Fact
a statement or assertion of information that can be verified
Forensic
relating to the application of scientific knowledge to legal questions
Logical
conclusions drawn from assumptions and known facts
Observation
what a person perceives using his or her senses
Opinion
personal belief founded on judgement rather than on direct experience or knowledge
Perception
interpreting information received from the senses
Chain of Custody
the documented and unbroken transfer of evidence
Circumstantial Evidence
(indirect evidence) evidence used to imply a fact but not prove it directly
Class evidence
material that connects an individual or thing to a certain group
Crime-scene Investigation
a multidisciplinary approach in which scientific and legal professionals work together to solve a crime
Crime-scene Reconstruction
a hypothesis of the sequence of events from before the crime was committed through its commission
Direct evidence
evidence that (if true) proves an alleged fact, such as an eyewitness account of a crime
First Responder
the first police officer to arrive at a crime scene
paper bindle/druggist fold
a folded paper used to hold trace evidence
Primary Crime Scene
the location where the crime took place
Secondary Crime Scene
a location other than the primary crime scene, but that is in some way related to the crime, where evidence is found
Trace Evidence
small but measurable amounts of physical or biological material found at a crime scene
Locard's Exchange Principle
states that when a criminal comes in contact with an object or person, a cross-transfer of evidence occurs
expert witness
a person who is permitted to testify at a trial because of special knowledge or proficiency in a particular field that is relevant to the case.
buccal swab
a swab of the inner portion of the cheek, performed to collect cells for use in determining the DNA profile of an individual
finished sketch
A precise rendering of the crime scene, usually drawn to scale.
rough sketch
the rudimentary first sketch created at the crime scene with care for accuracy in depicting dimensions and locations but no concern for aesthetic appearance
substrate control
Uncontaminated surface material close to an area where physical evidence has been deposited
standard/reference sample
physical evidence whose origin is known, such as blood or hair from a suspect, that can be compared to crime-scene evidence
Comparison vs. Identification
Identification = determine the physical/chemical identity of a substance with absolute certainty. Comparison = determine whether or not the suspect specimen and a control specimen have a common origin using the same examinations and tests.
individual evidence
a kind of evidence that identifies a particular person or thing
Product Rule
the probability that two or more independent events will occur is equal to the product of their individual probabilities
Rapid DNA
a process for developing DNA profiles from a buccal swab in 90 minutes or less that are compatible with a CODIS search
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