Forensic Science Bertino

We know hair is from a human if…

• The medullary index is 0.5 or greater           

• The medullary index is 0.33 or less

• The cuticle is coronal

• The medulla is fragmented

Hair is helpful in solving old crimes because…

• hair on a suspect never changes

• hair always contains DNA evidence

• hair takes little room to store in evidence closets

• hair does not easily decompose

Which of the following are ways to collect fiber evidence?

• vacuuming

• adhesive tape

• dusting

• forceps

• burning

Fibers are considered what kind of evidence? 

• Individual

• Class

• Direct

• Indirect

When fibers are transferred directly from victim to suspect or suspect to victim, this is called:

• necessary transfer.

• direct transfer

• absolute transfer.

• None of these choices.

secondary transfer

• The transfer of evidence such as a fiber from a source (such as a carpet) to a person (suspect), and then to another person (victim)

• the passing of evidence, such as fiber, from victim to suspect or vice versa

• things like clothing, carpets, and upholstery

• fibers that have been spun together

A fiber is collected at a crime scene. When viewed under a compound microscope, what two traits would indicate that the fiber was a human hair and not a piece of fiber obtained from an article of clothing? (Choose 2)

• the presence of a cuticle

• a medullary index of 0.33 or less

• a wide diameter

• its ability to dissolve in water

a multidisciplinary approach in which scientific and legal professionals work together to solve a crime

• Crime scene investigation

• circumstantial evidence

• triangulation

• secondary crime scene

small but measurable amounts of physical or biological material found at a crime scene

• class evidence

• trace evidence

• direct evidence

• triangulation

the documented and unbroken transfer of evidence

• first responder

• direct evidence

• primary crime scene

• chain of custody