BCJ Forensic Science and Criminal Evidence 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal database allows law enforcement to share and search DNA profiles nationally?
- AFIS
- CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) (Correct answer)
- NCIC
- ViCAP
Correct answer: CODIS (Combined DNA Index System)
CODIS is the FBI's national DNA database system that stores DNA profiles from convicted offenders, crime scenes, and missing persons for law enforcement comparison.
Question 2: What is forensic toxicology primarily concerned with?
- Analyzing fingerprints
- Detecting and measuring drugs, poisons, and chemicals in biological samples (Correct answer)
- Examining digital devices
- Reconstructing crime scenes
Correct answer: Detecting and measuring drugs, poisons, and chemicals in biological samples
Forensic toxicology involves the detection and quantification of drugs, alcohol, poisons, and other chemicals in biological specimens for legal purposes.
Question 3: What is the significance of 'trace evidence' in criminal investigations?
- Evidence that is too small to be used in court
- Microscopic or small-scale material transferred between crime scene, victim, and suspect (Correct answer)
- Electronic surveillance data
- Hearsay testimony about a suspect
Correct answer: Microscopic or small-scale material transferred between crime scene, victim, and suspect
Trace evidence includes small materials like hair, fibers, glass, or soil that are transferred between persons or locations and can link suspects to crime scenes.
Question 4: Which forensic discipline analyzes handwriting to determine authorship of documents?
- Forensic odontology
- Questioned document examination (Correct answer)
- Forensic anthropology
- Digital forensics
Correct answer: Questioned document examination
Questioned document examination involves the scientific analysis of handwriting, signatures, typewriting, and other document features to determine authenticity or authorship.
Question 5: What does 'postmortem lividity' (livor mortis) indicate in a death investigation?
- Time of injury
- The position of the body after death based on blood pooling (Correct answer)
- The victim's blood type
- The cause of death
Correct answer: The position of the body after death based on blood pooling
Livor mortis is the purplish discoloration of the skin caused by the settling of blood after death, indicating the position in which the body came to rest.
Question 6: Which type of court evidence requires both relevance and reliability to be admissible?
- Hearsay evidence
- Expert scientific evidence (Correct answer)
- Eyewitness testimony
- Character evidence
Correct answer: Expert scientific evidence
Under the Federal Rules of Evidence and the Daubert standard, expert scientific evidence must be both relevant to the case and based on reliable scientific methodology to be admitted.
BCJ Forensic Science and Criminal Evidence 3
Which federal database allows law enforcement to share and search DNA profiles nationally?