Exam 11: An Introduction to Crime Reconstruction

A deceased victim found without his wallet is an example of what type of evidence?

Review the following paragraph and answer the questions below. Livor mortis is the settling of the blood in the lower dependent) portion of the body, causing a purplish-red discoloration of the skin. When the heart is no longer beating, gravity causes the red blood cells to sink into the tissue. This discoloration does not occur in the areas of the body that are in contact with the ground or another object because the capillaries are compressed. Livor mortis becomes fixed after roughly 10 hours and may be used to determine whether a body has been moved after this time if the pattern is inconsistent with the victim's final resting position. -Livor mortis is an example of what type of evidence? Explain.

Define the term evidence dynamics. Provide 3 examples of post-discovery dynamic influences.

Locard's exchange principle represents the cause-and-effect principle reversed.

Which of the following is an example of post-discovery dynamic influences?

Directional evidence refers to anything that establishes or helps establish when an event occurred or the order in which two or more events occurred.

List 3 basic types of evidence. Provide an example of each.

What is the most important consideration in the reconstruction of crime?

The actions of the coroner or medical examiner are examples of pre-discovery dynamic influences.

In most reconstruction efforts, the crime scenes are not actually being put back together as they were; only some of the actions and sequences of events are being established.

A footprint over a tire track showing that an individual was present subsequent to the vehicle's passing is an example of what type of evidence?

The known evidence in a case either supports a theory, does not support a theory, refutes a theory, or is inconclusive.

Which of the following is not an example of limiting evidence?

Gunshot wounds, bullet holes, and cartridge casings indicating that a firearm was discharged are examples of what type of evidence?

Explain what is meant by the term assumption of integrity. Provide 3 examples of influences that disprove this assumption.

The greatest limit of crime reconstruction is that there are always unknowns with regard to evidence---holes in the sequence or gaps in the timing that cannot be filled.

When dealing with inferred evidence, one can assume that the offender must have removed it from the scene.

Offender actions at the scene that influence evidence include which of the following?

Crime reconstruction is necessary in both nomothetic and idiographic profiling methods.

To account for post-discovery influences, a record must be kept of the people, places, and processes that the evidence has endured since the time of its recognition at the scene. What is this record called?