CFC Forensic Science Principles & Investigative Methods 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a 'Questioned Documents' examination in a fraud investigation involving a will?
- To determine the testator's mental capacity at time of signing
- To authenticate the signature and detect any alterations or forgeries in the document (Correct answer)
- To calculate the monetary value of the estate
- To establish the legal validity of the bequests
Correct answer: To authenticate the signature and detect any alterations or forgeries in the document
Document examiners compare handwriting characteristics, ink dating, paper analysis, and printing methods to determine whether a will is genuine or has been forged or altered.
Question 2: Which investigative technique is used to visualize latent fingerprints on porous surfaces such as paper?
- Cyanoacrylate fuming
- Ninhydrin treatment (Correct answer)
- Magnetic powder dusting
- Alternate light source without chemical enhancement
Correct answer: Ninhydrin treatment
Ninhydrin reacts with amino acids in sweat residue on porous surfaces, producing a purple compound (Ruhemann's purple) that makes latent prints visible.
Question 3: A forensic consultant is retained in a civil product liability case. Which standard of proof must the evidence meet?
- Beyond a reasonable doubt
- Preponderance of the evidence (Correct answer)
- Clear and convincing evidence
- Probable cause
Correct answer: Preponderance of the evidence
Civil cases require proof by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning it is more likely than not (greater than 50%) that the claims are true.
Question 4: In digital forensics, what does 'write-blocking' accomplish during evidence acquisition?
- It prevents unauthorized persons from reading evidence files
- It prevents any data from being written to the original evidence media during imaging (Correct answer)
- It encrypts the forensic image to protect it during transport
- It blocks malware from activating on the forensic workstation
Correct answer: It prevents any data from being written to the original evidence media during imaging
A write-blocker is a hardware or software device that allows forensic examiners to read data from storage media without altering or adding any data on the original device.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of 'trace evidence' at a crime scene?
- A written confession
- Glass fragments, hair fibers, or paint chips transferred during a crime (Correct answer)
- A surveillance camera recording
- A fingerprint visible to the naked eye
Correct answer: Glass fragments, hair fibers, or paint chips transferred during a crime
Trace evidence consists of small, often microscopic materials transferred between persons, objects, or environments, including fibers, glass, soil, paint, and hair.
Question 6: When a forensic consultant's findings support the opposing party in a legal dispute, the most ethical course of action is to:
- Withhold the unfavorable findings from the retaining attorney
- Report all findings objectively, regardless of which party they favor (Correct answer)
- Adjust the methodology to produce more favorable results
- Withdraw from the case without explanation
Correct answer: Report all findings objectively, regardless of which party they favor
Forensic consultants must maintain objectivity and report all findings honestly; advocacy for a party rather than for the truth violates professional and ethical standards.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of autopsy in a forensic death investigation?
- To embalm and preserve the remains for burial
- To determine cause of death, manner of death, and collect evidence (Correct answer)
- To provide grief counseling documentation for the family
- To establish the decedent's identity for insurance purposes
Correct answer: To determine cause of death, manner of death, and collect evidence
A forensic autopsy systematically examines internal and external findings to establish cause of death (what killed the person), manner of death (homicide, suicide, accident, natural, or undetermined), and to collect biological evidence.
CFC Forensic Science Principles & Investigative Methods 5
What is the purpose of a 'Questioned Documents' examination in a fraud investigation involving a will?