Forensic Science Applications Flashcards

An investigator finds a body in a wooded area during the summer with significant insect activity, primarily maggots. For a forensic entomologist to provide the most accurate analysis, what is the most critical evidence for the investigator to collect AT THE SCENE?

Answer: A representative sample of live insect specimens from on and around the body, and the ambient air temperature.

Forensic entomologists use the developmental stage of insects to estimate the minimum postmortem interval. To do this accurately, they need representative live samples to raise in a lab to identify the species and determine the exact stage. Ambient temperature is one of the most critical factors influencing the rate of insect development, so recording it at the scene is essential for their calculations.

In a suspected overdose death where the body is moderately decomposed, which biological sample is often considered the most stable and reliable for toxicological analysis?

Answer: Vitreous humor (fluid from the eye).

Vitreous humor is a clear, jelly-like substance that fills the eyeball. It is in a relatively isolated anatomical location, making it less susceptible to postmortem redistribution (where drugs migrate from tissues into the blood after death) and bacterial contamination that can affect blood samples. This stability makes it an excellent specimen for toxicological analysis, especially in cases of decomposition.

At the scene of a death, the decedent's smartphone is found powered on and lying next to the body. Which of the following is the most appropriate action for the death investigator to take to preserve potential digital evidence?

Answer: Place the phone in a Faraday bag or aluminum foil and transport it to the proper agency for forensic analysis.

Modern smartphones can be remotely wiped, locked, or have their data altered if connected to a network. Placing the device in a Faraday bag blocks all incoming and outgoing radio signals (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth), preserving the data on the phone exactly as it was found. Powering the device off can initiate encryption that makes examination difficult, and attempting to unlock it can lead to data loss.

A forensic anthropologist is examining skeletonized remains from a homicide case. Which of the following can they most reliably determine from the bones?

Answer: Evidence of perimortem sharp force trauma.

Forensic anthropologists are trained to analyze skeletal remains to identify trauma and can distinguish between injuries occurring before death (antemortem), at or around the time of death (perimortem), and after death (postmortem). Sharp force trauma, such as from a knife, leaves distinctive marks on the bone that an anthropologist can identify as perimortem, providing crucial evidence about the events leading to death.

An investigator is at the scene of a homicide. The suspected weapon, a metal pipe, has no visible blood or fingerprints. To maximize the chance of recovering the perpetrator's "touch DNA," the investigator should swab which area of the pipe?

Answer: The textured grip or handle area where the pipe was most likely held.

"Touch DNA" refers to the microscopic skin cells left behind when a person handles an object. The area of an object that was handled most extensively and provides the most friction, such as the textured grip of a weapon, is the most likely place to find a sufficient quantity of the perpetrator's DNA for analysis.

Which of the following scenarios would most benefit from the application of forensic botany?

Answer: A body discovered in a shallow grave in a remote forest.

Forensic botany involves using plant evidence to solve crimes. In the case of a body in a grave, a forensic botanist can analyze soil, pollen, plant fragments, and root growth. This evidence can link a suspect's clothing or tools to the specific grave site, establish that the body has not been moved, and potentially help estimate how long the body has been there.