Test Bank Criminalistics An Introduction to Forensic Science 12th Edition by Richard Saferstein
Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science, 12e (Saferstein)
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Multiple Choice Questions
1) Forensic science is the application of science to:
- A) Crime scene reconstruction.
- B) Civil laws.
- C) Criminal laws.
- D) Both criminal and civil laws.
Answer: D
Page Ref: 04
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Basic
2) The fictional character of Sherlock Holmes was created by:
- A) Dalton.
- B) Doyle.
- C) Darwin.
- D) Denton.
Answer: B
Page Ref: 06
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
3) Who is known as the "father of forensic toxicology"?
- A) Orfilia
- B) Locard
- C) Osborn
- D) Lattes
Answer: A
Page Ref: 06
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
4) Who developed the system known as anthropometry?
- A) Bertillon
- B) Goddard
- C) Gross
- D) Galton
Answer: A
Page Ref: 06
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
5) Who undertook the first definitive study of fingerprints as a method of personal identification?
- A) Gross
- B) Lattes
- C) Goddard
- D) Galton
Answer: D
Page Ref: 08
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
6) Who devised a technique for determining the blood group of a dried bloodstain, which he applied to criminal investigations?
- A) Lattes
- B) Gross
- C) Locard
- D) Bertillon
Answer: A
Page Ref: 08
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
7) Who established the comparison microscope as the indispensable tool of the modern firearms examiner?
- A) Goddard
- B) Lattes
- C) Gross
- D) Osborn
Answer: A
Page Ref: 08
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
8) Who wrote the first treatise describing the application of science to the field of criminal investigation?
- A) Locard
- B) Osborn
- C) Lattes
- D) Gross
Answer: D
Page Ref: 08
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
9) Who established the first workable crime laboratory?
- A) Galton
- B) Bertillon
- C) Locard
- D) Osborn
Answer: C
Page Ref: 08
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
10) The exchange of evidence principle was theorized by:
- A) Gross.
- B) Locard.
- C) Galton.
- D) Osborn.
Answer: B
Page Ref: 09
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Basic
11) The oldest forensic laboratory in the United States is that of the:
- A) N.Y.C. Police Department.
- B) FBI.
- C) Los Angeles Police Department.
- D) Secret Service.
Answer: C
Page Ref: 09
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
12) Which of the following can be rightfully cited as an explanation for the rapid growth of crime labs during the last 40 years?
- A) Supreme Court decisions in the 1960s
- B) Staggering increase in crime rates in the United States
- C) Advent of DNA profiling
- D) All of the above
Answer: D
Page Ref: 10
Objective: Distinguish forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Basic
13) Which entity maintains the largest crime laboratory in the world?
- A) FBI
- B) Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- C) Scotland Yard
- D) ATF
Answer: A
Page Ref: 11
Objective: Describe the organization and services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the criminal justice system.
Level: Basic
14) Which would NOT be included in the work of the biology unit of a crime lab?
- A) Blood typing
- B) Comparison of hairs
- C) DNA profiling
- D) Fingerprint analysis
Answer: D
Page Ref: 13
Objective: Describe the organization and services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the criminal justice system.
Level: Basic
15) Which unit is responsible for the examination of body fluids and organs for the presence of drugs and poisons?
- A) Toxicology unit
- B) Physical science unit
- C) Evidence collection unit
- D) Biology unit
Answer: A
Page Ref: 14
Objective: Describe the organization and services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the criminal justice system.
Level: Basic
16) The concept of "general acceptance" of scientific evidence relates to the:
- A) First Amendment.
- B) Exclusionary rule.
- C) Frye standard.
- D) Miranda warnings.
Answer: C
Page Ref: 17
Objective: Explain how physical evidence is analyzed and presented in the courtroom by the forensic scientist, and how admissibility of evidence is determined in the courtroom.
Level: Intermediate
17) In the case of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceutical, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court advocated that a "gatekeeper" determine the admissibility and reliability of scientific evidence. This gatekeeper is the:
- A) Expert witness.
- B) Prosecutor.
- C) Jury.
- D) Trial judge.
Answer: D
Page Ref: 18
Objective: Explain how physical evidence is analyzed and presented in the courtroom by the forensic scientist, and how admissibility of evidence is determined in the courtroom.
Level: Intermediate
18) Which of the following is NOT true? An expert witness must be able to demonstrate:
- A) Skill in trade or profession of interest to the court.
- B) Significant experience in a relevant field.
- C) A formal degree in forensic science.
- D) Education in his/her area of expertise.
Answer: C
Page Ref: 19
Objective: Explain the role and responsibilities of the expert witness.
Level: Intermediate
19) The final evaluator of forensic evidence is the:
- A) Police.
- B) Jury.
- C) Accused.
- D) Prosecutor.
Answer: B
Page Ref: 19
Objective: Explain how physical evidence is analyzed and presented in the courtroom by the forensic scientist, and how admissibility of evidence is determined in the courtroom.
Level: Basic
20) What is the LEAST important consideration in the gathering of evidence at a crime scene?
- A) Adequate preservation of samples
- B) Competent collection of materials
- C) Guilt of the suspect(s)
- D) Proper recognition of the evidence
Answer: C
Page Ref: 21
Objective: Explain how physical evidence is analyzed and presented in the courtroom by the forensic scientist, and how admissibility of evidence is determined in the courtroom.
Level: Intermediate
21) Bite marks would be LEAST likely to be found in cases involving:
- A) Murder.
- B) Child abuse.
- C) Arson.
- D) Sexual abuse.
Answer: C
Page Ref: 23
Objective: Describe the organization and services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the criminal justice system.
Level: Basic
22) Forensic odontology refers to the study of:
- A) Drugs.
- B) Pollen.
- C) Teeth.
- D) Bones.
Answer: C
Page Ref: 23
Objective: Describe the organization and services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the criminal justice system.
Level: Basic
23) Which of the following services are typically provided to law enforcement by crime laboratories?
- A) Pathology
- B) Criminalistics
- C) Odontology
- D) Psychology
Answer: B
Page Ref: 05
Objective: Describe the organization and services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the criminal justice system.
Level: Basic
24) The case of Coppolino v. State highlights issues dealing with:
- A) Search and seizure.
- B) The admissibility of the polygraph.
- C) The evidential value of confessions.
- D) The acceptability of new scientific tests.
Answer: D
Page Ref: 20
Objective: Explain how physical evidence is analyzed and presented in the courtroom by the forensic scientist, and how admissibility of evidence is determined in the courtroom.
Level: Intermediate
25) The scientific method requires that scientific evidence be validated by:
- A) Formulating pertinent questions.
- B) Formulating hypotheticals.
- C) Performing experiments.
- D) All of the above
Answer: D
Page Ref: 17
Objective: Distinguish between forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Basic
26) The eleven sections of The American Academy of Forensic Science include all of the following EXCEPT:
- A) General.
- B) Arson/Explosives.
- C) Jurisprudence.
- D) Criminalistics.
Answer: B
Page Ref: 04
Objective: Describe the organization and services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the criminal justice system.
Level: Intermediate
27) The tendency of the public to believe that every crime scene will yield forensic evidence and their unrealistic expectations that a prosecutor's case should always be bolstered and supported by forensic evidence is known as:
- A) Jurisprudence.
- B) Locard's Principle.
- C) The Scientific Method.
- D) The CSI Effect.
Answer: D
Page Ref: 05
Objective: Distinguish between forensic science and criminalistics.
Level: Intermediate
28) What is the major problem facing the forensic DNA community?
- A) Contamination of DNA samples by evidence collectors
- B) Backlog of unanalyzed DNA samples
- C) Lack of recent advancements in DNA technology
- D) Existence of computerized DNA databases
Answer: B
Page Ref: 11
