TCOLE Criminal Investigations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does AFIS stand for in law enforcement?
- Advanced Forensic Investigation System
- Agency Field Investigation Service
- Automated Fingerprint Identification System (Correct answer)
- Arrested Felon Information Storage
Correct answer: Automated Fingerprint Identification System
AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) is a computerized database used to compare and identify fingerprints recovered from crime scenes.
Question 2: When packaging biological evidence at a crime scene, officers should:
- Use airtight plastic bags to prevent outside contamination
- Allow items to air-dry before packaging them in paper bags (Correct answer)
- Freeze all biological samples immediately at the scene
- Package all biological items together in a single container
Correct answer: Allow items to air-dry before packaging them in paper bags
Biological evidence must be air-dried before packaging in paper bags because moisture promotes mold and bacterial growth that can destroy DNA evidence.
Question 3: A 'dying declaration' is admissible as a hearsay exception when:
- The statement was witnessed by at least two sworn officers
- The declarant died within 24 hours of making the statement
- The declarant believed death was imminent when making the statement (Correct answer)
- The statement was captured on a recording device
Correct answer: The declarant believed death was imminent when making the statement
A dying declaration is admissible when the declarant genuinely believed death was imminent at the time of the statement, as that belief reduces the motive to fabricate.
Question 4: What is a suspect's 'modus operandi' (MO)?
- Their official criminal history record
- Their characteristic method of committing crimes (Correct answer)
- Their legal right to remain silent during questioning
- Their documented psychological profile
Correct answer: Their characteristic method of committing crimes
Modus operandi refers to a suspect's habitual pattern and method of committing crimes, which can link separate offenses to the same perpetrator.
Question 5: The cognitive interview technique is used primarily to:
- Confront suspects with physical evidence during interrogation
- Help eyewitnesses recall information more accurately and completely (Correct answer)
- Assess whether a suspect is being deceptive
- Speed up the formal interview process
Correct answer: Help eyewitnesses recall information more accurately and completely
The cognitive interview technique uses mental reinstatement of context and open-ended prompts to help witnesses retrieve more accurate and complete memories.
Question 6: Which of the following is the key requirement for a valid consent search in Texas?
- Consent must be given voluntarily and freely by a person with authority over the area (Correct answer)
- Consent must be documented in writing to be legally valid
- Officers must explicitly inform the person they have the right to refuse
- Consent must be witnessed by a second law enforcement officer
Correct answer: Consent must be given voluntarily and freely by a person with authority over the area
A valid consent search requires that consent be given voluntarily and freely by a person who has authority over the area to be searched, without coercion.
Question 7: Under Texas law, what is the statute of limitations for murder?
- 10 years from the date of the offense
- 5 years from the date the crime is discovered
- 20 years from the date of the offense
- There is no statute of limitations for murder (Correct answer)
Correct answer: There is no statute of limitations for murder
Under Texas law, there is no statute of limitations for murder, meaning the offense can be prosecuted regardless of when it occurred.
TCOLE Criminal Investigations 2
What does AFIS stand for in law enforcement?