Basic Forensic Science

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. What does the term 'forensic' mean? pertaining to crime pertaining to medicine pertaining to the law pertaining to death

2. When two objects touch, there is a transfer of material from one to the other. This trace evidence is the basis of forensic science. What is the idea known as? Forensic Law Murphy's Law of Contact Bertillon's Principle of Transference Locard's Principle

3. Forensic anthropology involves the retrieval and identification of human remains. A skeleton provides a lot of information about the deceased. Which of the following is not able to be deduced from a modern human skeleton? ethnic background intelligence occupation state of health

4. If you know what to look for, you can tell a male from a female skeleton. Which of the following statements is not true? The male skull has a larger brow ridge than the female. The male skull is usually larger than the female skull. The female pelvis is usually deeper than the male pelvis. The female chin is usually more rounded or pointed than the male chin.

5. Forensic odontology involves the study of teeth. When old skeletons are found, the teeth are an important source of information. In such cases, which of the following statements is true? All three statements are true. Forensic scientists can usually tell the victim's age by their teeth. Teeth can indicate a person's occupation and ethnic background. Teeth are a good source of DNA for forensic analysis.

6. When identifying victims of disasters, such as plane and train crashes, approximately 93 percent of identifications are made on the basis of which characteristic? skeletal characteristics personal effects DNA analysis dental records

7. Forensic entomology involves the study of insects. Insects are a very reliable indicator of post-mortem interval (the estimate of time since death). When and where was the first recorded application of forensic entomology? 13th century China 16th century America 17th century Italy 19th century France

8. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the genetic material in our cells which controls heredity and plays a large role in determining our physical characteristics. Which of the following statements is not true? Only identical twins will have identical DNA. DNA can show a person's gender but not their age or race. Identical twins can have different fingerprints. Red blood cells are the best source of DNA.

9. Britain's experience with DNA databases has provided some interesting statistics. Based on UK data, which of the following statements is not true? About 70 percent of crimes are committed by 8 percent of the population. The UK DNA data base averages about 1,000 successful hits per week. About 90 percent of sex offenders have previous convictions for lesser offences. Over 50 percent of murderers have previous convictions for assault.

10. In 1984, Sir Alec Jeffreys developed the first DNA profiling ('genetic fingerprinting') test. Its first use to solve a crime occurred in England. It identified Colin Pitchfork as the murderer of two young girls in Narborough in the English Midlands. In which year did this occur? 1986 1984 1987 1985