Forensics Semester 1 Study Guide 2023

Scott Peterson was having an affair, sold his missing wife's car, built five anchors, and went fishing on Xmas eve. He was convicted of 1st degree murder. What type of evidence is this?

• Individual

• Direct

• Circumstantial

• Class

The Innocence Project at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law was created by Barry C. Scheck and Peter K. Neufeld in 1992. The Innocence Project found that most faulty convictions were based on

• Eyewitnesses

• DNA evidence

• Circumstantial evidence

• FIngerprints

Forensic derives from the Latin word, forensis, which means:

• to find guilty

• in open court

• to find evidence

• to prosecute

Describe the job of the first responding officer

• to make an arrest

• to take fingerprints

• look for trace evidence

• secure the crime scene

What is Locard's Exchange Principle?

• Suspects always leave fingerprints at a crime scene

• Trace evidence is passed when objects come in contact with one another

• DNA can always be found

• There is always cross-contamination at a crime scene

What information is important to record at the scene of the crime?

• time and location

• witnesses

• appearance of the scene

• All of these

What is an example of trace evidence?

• DNA

• Hair and fiber

• Blood stains

• Fingerprints

Several mistakes were made on the JonBenet Ramsey case. Which of these was NOT one of those mistakes?

• The police did handwriting analysis on the ransom note

• The ransom note was passed around among friends

• Mr. Ramsey moved the body

• The police did not secure the scene

Which factors can cause our brains to be faulty and and as result, can cause eyewitnesses to be an unreliable source of evidence. Check more than one right answer.

• Low light

• Trauma/emotion

• Happens quickly

• Poor eyesight

Detectives are naturally good observers--they don't need to practice

• True

• False