Evidence Collection & Case Analysis Flashcards

When analyzing blood spatter evidence, a 'cast-off' pattern most likely indicates which type of event?

Answer: Blood flung from a weapon during a backswing or follow-through motion

Cast-off patterns are created when blood is flung in an arc from a bloody object such as a weapon being swung.

A forensic consultant reviewing financial records notices that expense amounts cluster just below $10,000. What fraudulent scheme does this suggest?

Answer: Structuring (smurfing) to avoid Bank Secrecy Act reporting thresholds

Structuring involves breaking transactions into amounts below $10,000 to avoid mandatory CTR filing under the Bank Secrecy Act.

Which forensic technique is used to recover deleted files from a hard drive when file system entries have been overwritten?

Answer: File carving based on file header and footer signatures

File carving searches raw disk data for known file signatures (headers/footers) to reconstruct files even when directory entries are gone.

In conducting a forensic interview, which technique is MOST consistent with evidence-based best practices for obtaining reliable information?

Answer: Using open-ended questions and the cognitive interview method

Cognitive interview techniques using open-ended questions are empirically validated to produce more accurate and complete recall.

A forensic consultant must testify about digital timestamps found in metadata. Which limitation must the expert disclose to the court?

Answer: System clocks can be inaccurate or deliberately manipulated, affecting timestamp reliability

System clocks may be incorrect or intentionally altered, so metadata timestamps should be corroborated with other evidence rather than treated as absolute.

When a forensic case involves both civil and criminal proceedings simultaneously, what is the primary concern for evidence sharing between parties?

Answer: Fifth Amendment protections and potential prejudice to the criminal case from civil discovery

Civil discovery can compel disclosures that implicate Fifth Amendment rights and may compromise a parallel criminal prosecution strategy.

A forensic analyst is comparing two questioned signatures against known exemplars. What is the minimum number of known exemplar signatures generally recommended for a reliable comparison?

Answer: At least 10-20 known exemplars from the same time period

Forensic document examiners typically require a minimum of 10-20 known exemplars to account for natural variation in an individual's signature.