Crime Scene Investigation Exam

From which locations should evidence be collected at the crime scene? Select all that apply:

• Victim's clothing

• Fingernails

• Blood samples

• Swabs from nose

How is cheiloscopy useful in forensic science?

• It can allow investigators to identify suspects based on their unique handwriting.

• It can allow investigators to identify suspects based on individual marks left behind by their shoes.

• It can allow investigators to identify suspects based on the chemical composition of their blood as revealed by chromatography.

• It can allow investigators to identify suspects based on their unique lip prints or lipstick composition.

Why might it be challenging to utilize cheiloscopy as a means to identify a suspect?

• Crime scenes usually contain only partial lipstick or lip prints which are not easy to analyze in the crime lab

• People can easily change their lips through surgery or lip injections

• The prints left behind by lips might not accurately represent the actual lips of the suspect

• The prints left behind by lips might falsely identity an innocent person

In your own words, explain the chemistry behind a chromatography test used to study lipstick prints.

Manner of death refers to:

• The specific change in the body which is brought about by the cessation of life

• In criminology, it refers to the weapon or object which inflicted death upon a person

• The time and place of death of a given victim

• The determination of how the injury or disease leads to death

Mechanism of death refers to:

• The specific cellular apoptosis that occurs hours after the body is found

• The specific change in the body that is brought about by the cessation of life

• The many different ways that death can happen, such as homicide or accidental death

• The manner in which the victim was positioned at the time of death

Livor mortis happens when

• The body releases gases and excrement soon after cessation of life

• The body stiffens soon after cessation of life

• The body enters a state of internal decomposition when death occurs

• The body decomposes and blood settles into the lower parts

How might livor mortis provide information about the body of a victim of a crime?

• It will provide information about where the body is currently located

• It will provide information about the position of the corpse during the first 8 hours

• It will provide information about the position of the corpse during the first 4 hours

• It will provide information about the position of the corpse during the first 6 hours

Rigor mortis refers to

• The stiffening of the skin and deep subcutaneous layers of the body

• The stiffening of all joints, tendons, and ligaments of the body prevents the movement of all body extremities

• The stiffening of skeletal muscles after death

• The stiffening of the skin, muscles and adipose tissue after death

Why does rigor mortis occur?

• Without being able to release carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide quickly accumulates in the muscles and causes stiffness

• Without oxygen, calcium needed for muscle contraction accumulates in the skeletal muscles

• Without glucose being carried by the bloodstream, calcium deposits quickly accumulate in the muscles

• Without stable blood pressure, a lack of circulating blood causes the skeletal muscles to lose their ability to relax