Deck 11: An Introduction to Crime Reconstruction

Question 1

Associated evidence is usually a form of trace evidence that can be or evidence.
a. Identification, ownership
b. Positional, locational
c. Inferred, positional
d. Temporal, positional

Answer 1

Identification, ownership

Question 2

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?
a. Chain of custody
b. Evidence record
c. Evidence log
d. Custody record

Answer 2

Chain of custody

Question 3

Crime reconstruction is synonymous with crime scene processing.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Footprints that indicate direction of travel are examples of what type of evidence?
a. Positional
b. Directional
c. Sequential
d. Action

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of post-discovery dynamic influences?
a. Offender actions
b. Weather/Climate
c. Decomposition
d. Therapeutic injuries

Question 6

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.

Question 7

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.

Question 8

A deceased victim found without his wallet is an example of what type of evidence?
a. Limiting
b. Locational
c. Directional
d. Inferred

Question 9

Which of the following is not an example of ownership evidence?
a. Written signatures
b. Stamps
c. E-mail
d. DNA

Question 10

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

Question 11

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

Question 12

What is the most important consideration in the reconstruction of crime?
a. Chain of custody
b. Locard's exchange principle
c. Suspect evidence
d. Evidence dynamics

Question 13

Which of the following is not an example of limiting evidence?
a. Walls inside a building
b. Crime scene tape
c. The beginning and end of a blood trail
d. Points of entry and exit to a crime scene

Question 14

Offender actions at the scene that influence evidence include which of the following?
a. Staging
b. Ritual or fantasy behavior
c. Staging
d. All of the above

Question 15

Gunshot wounds, bullet holes, and cartridge casings indicating that a firearm was discharged are examples of what type of evidence?
a. Action
b. Positional
c. Temporal
d. Locational

Question 16

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

Question 17

Crime reconstruction is based on which of the following?
a. Forensic science
b. The scientific method
c. Analytical knowledge
d. All of the above

Question 18

Trace evidence, such as hair, fibers, and glass, may be used to suggest an association between persons, objects, and locations. These are examples of what type of evidence?
a. Positional
b. Contact
c. Action
d. Temporal

Question 19

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

Question 20

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?
a. Positional
b. Directional
c. Sequential
d. Action

Question 21

Case Study
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.
n
What dynamic influence is occurring in this example? Explain.

Question 22

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

Question 23

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

Question 24

A driver's license is an example of ownership evidence.

Question 25

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

Question 26

Case Study
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.
n
Livor mortis is an example of what type of evidence? Explain.

Question 27

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

Question 28

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