Crime Scene Reconstruction Flashcards

What is 'mechanism of death' and how does it differ from 'cause of death' in reconstruction?

Answer: Mechanism is the physiological process causing death (e.g., hemorrhage); cause is the injury or disease initiating it (e.g., gunshot wound)

Cause of death is the injury, disease, or condition that started the chain of events leading to death, while mechanism is the specific physiological disturbance (e.g., exsanguination, hypoxia) that actually caused cessation of life.

In a stabbing reconstruction, what does the presence of 'hesitation marks' typically indicate?

Answer: Multiple shallow wounds preceding the fatal wound, suggesting the decedent may have self-inflicted the injury

Hesitation marks are multiple shallow, superficial incisions often found near the fatal wound and are classically associated with self-inflicted wounds in suicide investigations.

A forensic reconstructionist examining a hit-and-run scene finds 'yaw marks' on the road. What do these indicate?

Answer: A vehicle's rear end slid sideways relative to its direction of travel, leaving curved parallel tire marks

Yaw marks are curved tire friction marks created when a vehicle slides sideways (rotates around its vertical axis), indicating the driver lost lateral control of the vehicle.

Which concept describes the minimum number of events that must have occurred to account for all physical evidence at a scene?

Answer: Parsimony principle, requiring the simplest reconstruction consistent with all evidence

The parsimony principle (Occam's Razor applied to reconstruction) requires that the reconstruction account for all physical evidence using the fewest necessary assumptions or events.

In an explosion scene reconstruction, 'brisance' refers to:

Answer: The shattering effect of an explosive's detonation wave that fragments nearby materials

Brisance is the shattering capacity of an explosive produced by the detonation shock wave, distinguishing high explosives (high brisance) from low explosives (deflagration, low brisance).

When a reconstruction expert testifies in court, their opinion must be based on:

Answer: A reasonable degree of scientific certainty, grounded in peer-accepted methodology and the specific case evidence

Expert reconstruction testimony must meet the 'reasonable scientific certainty' standard, meaning the opinion is based on accepted methodology and the weight of evidence, not speculation.

What is the primary purpose of creating a 'reconstruction hypothesis matrix' when multiple scenarios are possible?

Answer: To systematically test each hypothesis against all physical evidence and eliminate those contradicted by the evidence

A hypothesis matrix allows the reconstructionist to methodically evaluate each proposed scenario against each piece of evidence, eliminating hypotheses that cannot account for the physical findings.