Technology & Digital Tools Flashcards

In forensic anthropology, which 3D imaging technology is increasingly used to document and analyze skeletal trauma without handling fragile remains?

Answer: Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)

Micro-CT creates high-resolution 3D images of bone microstructure, enabling detailed trauma analysis, age estimation, and documentation without physical manipulation of fragile specimens.

Which blockchain-based technology is being explored to maintain tamper-evident chain of custody records for digital evidence?

Answer: Smart contracts with digital signatures on distributed ledgers

Blockchain-based smart contracts create immutable, time-stamped records of evidence handling events on a distributed ledger that cannot be altered without detection.

A forensic analyst uses Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) in a case with mixed DNA evidence. What advantage does NGS offer over standard STR profiling?

Answer: It can deconvolute complex mixtures and analyze degraded DNA with more detail

NGS can sequence millions of DNA fragments simultaneously, enabling better deconvolution of complex multi-contributor mixtures and analysis of highly degraded DNA samples.

In forensic fire investigation, which technology analyzes fire debris samples to detect ignitable liquid residues?

Answer: Passive headspace concentration with GC-MS

Passive headspace concentration traps volatile compounds from fire debris, which are then separated and identified by GC-MS to detect accelerants such as gasoline or lighter fluid.

Which software tool is the forensic industry standard for acquiring and analyzing hard drive images in computer forensic investigations?

Answer: EnCase or FTK (Forensic Toolkit)

EnCase and FTK are the leading court-accepted forensic software suites for acquiring, preserving, and analyzing digital evidence from storage media.

In forensic odontology, which digital technology has replaced plaster casts for dental comparison and bite mark analysis?

Answer: 3D intraoral scanning and digital dental models

3D intraoral scanners capture precise digital dental models that can be manipulated, measured, and compared digitally, replacing physical plaster casts for identification and bite mark analysis.

When analyzing cell phone tower records (CSLI data) in a forensic investigation, what does the term 'azimuth' refer to?

Answer: The directional orientation of a cell tower antenna sector

Azimuth describes the compass direction a cell tower antenna sector faces, which helps investigators narrow the geographic area where a phone was located when it connected to that sector.