CFI Investigative Methodology & Crime Scene Analysis Flashcards

Locard's Exchange Principle in forensic investigations states that:

Answer: Every contact between a perpetrator and a scene results in a trace exchange

Locard's Exchange Principle holds that any contact between individuals or between a person and an environment results in an exchange of trace materials.

Which investigative approach involves working from established general principles or known facts to reach specific conclusions about unknowns?

Answer: Deductive reasoning

Deductive reasoning starts from established general principles or known facts to reach specific conclusions about unknowns in a case.

In a forensic investigation, the 'chain of custody' refers to:

Answer: The documented chronological record of evidence handling from collection to presentation

Chain of custody documents every person who handled evidence to ensure its integrity and admissibility in legal proceedings.

What is the primary purpose of a 'victimology' assessment in a forensic investigation?

Answer: To understand the victim's lifestyle, risk factors, and relationships to identify potential suspects

Victimology helps investigators understand victim vulnerability and risk factors that may link the victim to suspects or reveal motive.

The 'fraud triangle' model identifies which three elements as necessary conditions for fraud to occur?

Answer: Opportunity, motivation (pressure), and rationalization

The fraud triangle identifies opportunity, motivation (financial pressure), and rationalization as the three factors that enable fraud.

In conducting a threat assessment, which factor is considered most empirically predictive of future violence?

Answer: History of prior violent behavior

Prior violent behavior is the strongest empirically supported predictor of future violence in threat assessment research literature.