NYSP Criminal Investigation and Evidence 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under New York law, what is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?
- Felonies are civil offenses; misdemeanors are criminal
- Felonies carry potential imprisonment of more than one year; misdemeanors carry one year or less (Correct answer)
- Misdemeanors require a jury trial; felonies do not
- Felonies are always prosecuted federally
Correct answer: Felonies carry potential imprisonment of more than one year; misdemeanors carry one year or less
In New York, felonies are serious crimes punishable by more than one year in state prison, while misdemeanors carry a maximum of one year in a local jail.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a 'DD-5' supplemental report used by New York law enforcement?
- To request a search warrant
- To document additional investigative follow-up after an initial report (Correct answer)
- To record an arrest
- To log daily patrol activity
Correct answer: To document additional investigative follow-up after an initial report
A DD-5 is a follow-up supplemental report used to document additional investigative information gathered after the original complaint report.
Question 3: Which technique is used to search a large outdoor crime scene with multiple troopers moving in a line?
- Grid search
- Line search (Correct answer)
- Spiral search
- Zone search
Correct answer: Line search
A line search, also called a strip search, involves officers moving parallel to one another in a straight line across an outdoor area.
Question 4: What does 'Locard's Exchange Principle' state?
- Every criminal leaves behind DNA
- Every contact between two objects leaves a trace (Correct answer)
- Physical evidence alone can convict a suspect
- Witnesses are the most reliable form of evidence
Correct answer: Every contact between two objects leaves a trace
Locard's Exchange Principle states that whenever two objects come into contact, they exchange trace materials, which is foundational to forensic science.
Question 5: When photographing a crime scene, what is the correct sequence?
- Close-up, mid-range, overall
- Overall, mid-range, close-up (Correct answer)
- Mid-range, close-up, overall
- Random order based on evidence location
Correct answer: Overall, mid-range, close-up
Crime scene photography should proceed from overall (establishing shots) to mid-range to close-up to document context before detail.
Question 6: What is the legal term for physical control over a person without formal arrest during a criminal investigation?
- Detention (Correct answer)
- Arraignment
- Incarceration
- Custody
Correct answer: Detention
A detention is a temporary, limited restriction of a person's freedom based on reasonable suspicion, which is less than a full arrest.
NYSP Criminal Investigation and Evidence 2
Under New York law, what is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?