Name ______________________________ Block_____

UNIT 1
Introduction to Forensic Science
Activity

Points
Earned

Points
Possible

Ch 1 Vocabulary

20

Unit 1 Notes

10

Scientific Reasoning Notes

10

Careers in Forensic Science

Notes

10

Forensics Subdivisions
Worksheet

20

Total

70

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Chapter 1 Vocabulary (Important Terms)

1) Criminalistics

2) Ballistics

3) Odontology

4) Pathology

5) Entomology

6) Misdemeanor

7) Felony

8) Probable Cause

9) Miranda Rights

10)Booking

11)Arraignment

12) Preliminary/Evidentiary Hearing

13)Bail
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14)Grand Jury

15)Indict

16)Plea Bargaining

17)Infraction

18)Probative Value

19)Hearsay

20)Expert Witness

Unit 1 Notes
I. Forensic Science

A. The study and application of ______________ to matters of ________.

B. Includes the business of providing timely, ________________, and thorough information to all levels of
decision makers in our criminal ________________ system.
C. The word forensic is derived from the Latin forensis meaning ______________, a public place where, in
_______________ times, senators and others debated and held judicial proceedings.

Criminology

Criminalistics

VS
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II. Crime LabBasic Services

1. ______________ Science Unit (Chemistry, Physics, Geology)
2. ____________ Unit: Analyze body ___________ and dried stains
3. ____________ Unit: study of bullets & ammunition (________________) as well as firearms
4. ______________ Examination Unit: Compares handwriting, ink, paper, etc to identify ___________ as well
as ___________________
5.

________________Unit

Label 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 for which unit would examine each of the types of evidence below.

III. Crime LabOptional Services

1.

_________________

Unit: tests body fluids and ____________ for poisons and _________

2. Latent _____________________ Unit: identify and ______________ fingerprints from crime scene
3. ______________________ Unit
4. _____________________Analysis Unit
5. ____________ Collection Unit: documents and collects any ____________ evidence

IV. Other Forensic Science Services

1. Forensic _______ology: investigates sudden and _______________ death
2. Forensic _______pology: study of human ____________
3. Forensic _______mology: use of _________ for forensics
4. Forensic Psychiatry: determines mindset, __________, and behavior
5. Forensic _________________: study of teeth and _____ marks
6. Forensic Engineering
7. _________technology

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V. About Crime Labs:

1. Exist on many levels: Nation, ___________, county and city
2. Around ______ in the U.S.
3. Major Crime Laboratories

FBI

ATF

DEA

USPS

VI. Crime Lab History

1. First police crime lab in the world was established in France in _______ by Edmond _____________
2. First police crime lab in the U.S. opened in _______ in Los Angeles
3. The Scientific Crime Detection Lab was founded in Evanston, Illinois in 1929
4. The first _____ crime lab opened in _________

VII. Edmond

Locard (1877-1966)

__________________ professor
Considered the father of___________________
Built the worlds first forensic laboratory in France in 1910
V

The Locard Exchange Principle states...

VIII. Crime Scene Team

7. Lab ExpertsList Below

Team Members
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

First __________ Officer on the scene

___________(if necessary)
Investigator(s)
Medical Examiner (____) or
Representative (______________) (if necessary)
Photographer and/or Field _______________
Technician
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IX. 7 Types of Law

1. Constitutional
2. Statutory
3. Common/Case
4. Civil
5. Criminal
6. Equity
7. Administrative

X. Miranda Rights
The following is a minimal Miranda warning:

You have the right to remain_________. Anything you say can and will be used against you
in a court of _______. You have the right to speak to an _____________ , and to have
an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be
provided for you at the governments expense.

A. Miranda v Arizona
In 1963, Ernesto _______________, a 23 year old mentally disturbed man,
was accused of kidnapping and raping an 18-year-old woman in Phoenix,
Arizona. He was brought in for questioning, and ______________ to the
crime. He was not told that he did not have to speak or that he could have a
lawyer present. At trial, Miranda's lawyer tried to get the confession thrown
out, but the motion was denied. The case went to the Supreme Court in
1966. The Court ruled that the statements made to the police could not be
used as evidence, since
__________________________________________________________.

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1. Infraction: violations or __________ offenses that result in fines._____

jail time or probation
2. Misdemeanor: criminal offense that carries a punishment of
______________ jail time up to, but no longer than, a year (in most
states)
3. _____________: most serious criminal offense that usually involves
harming another person. Does not always result in jail time (like misdemeanors) but can carry a sentence up to life in prison or _____________

XI. Types of
Crimes

XII. Federal Rules of Evidence

In order for evidence to be admissible, it must be:
1. Probativeactually __________ something
2. _____________address an issue that is relevant to the particular crime

XIII. Facets of ______________

Try to Prove:

1. ____________ person had the ability to do the crime

2. ____________ person had a reason to do the crime
3. ____________ person can be placed at the scene of the crime

XIV. Historic Cases

1923 Frye v. United States

1993 Daubert v. Dow

_________________ evidence is allowed into the courtroom if it is generally ______________ by the relevant scientific community. The Frye standard does
not offer any guidance on reliability.

The evidence is presented in the ________ and the

__________ decides if it can be used.

Admissibility is determined by:

1. Whether the theory or technique can be
________________
2. Whether the science has been offered for ________
review
3. Whether the rate of ___________ is acceptable
4. Whether the method at issue enjoys widespread
________________.
Whether the opinion is _______________ to the issue

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The ______________ decides if the evidence can be

entered into the trial.

Careers in Forensic Science, Notes

Typically transport corpses from the crime scene

to the _____________; some aid in death investigations

DefinitionsForensic Science:

Also known as ___________________

The application ____________ to the

_______

Initiate ______________, indictments and prosecution of criminals

Careers

Forensic Scientists

_____________________

Crime Scene Investigators

_____________________

Medical Examiners (_______)

Prosecutors

___________ Prints (fingerprints)

Forensic Biology (_____________/DNA)
Toxicology (blood alcohol,
___________________)

Common Duties

Controlled substance (___________)

Data ______________

Questioned documents (________________ &

typescripts)

Data ________________
___________ testimony

Firearms (firearms and

__________________)

Forensic Scientists
Identify and/or compare ____________ evidence through chemical, physical, and instrumental analysis

Others

Forensic ___________________
Forensic Anthropology

_____________ unearth factual information,

regardless which side the evidence supports

Forensic Computer Science

Forensic Engineering

______________ evaluate findings, arriving at

opinions and conclusions

Forensic ____________________
Forensic Pathology

______________ testify accurately and truthfully

Forensic Psychology & Psychiatry

Criminologists

Employment Opportunities

Study criminal and behavioral

____________________ to aid in criminal investigations

Federal Bureau of Investigation (_______)

Crime Scene Investigators

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (_______)

Collect and _________________ physical evidence from crime scenes

Other Disciplines
Crime Scene Investigation

Forensic Scientists: Main Roles

Disciplines
___________ Evidence (hair, fiber, paint, glass,
impressions, etc.)

Data ________________

Prosecutors

Federal, State, and Local Crime Laboratories

Drug Enforcement Administration (_________)

U.S. Postal Service (_________)

Medical Examiners

U.S. Secret Service

Perform ____________________ to identify the

causes and manners of death

Central Intelligence Agency (________)

Coroners

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services

Teaching at community colleges and universities.

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Careers in Forensic Science, Notes Continued

Employment Qualifications
Forensic Scientists Bachelor of Science (_____) or higher in natural or physical science
Criminologists BS or higher in _______________ or psychology
Crime Scene Investigators law enforcement ______________ with a certification, such as one from the International Association for Identification (IAI)
Medical Examiners (ME) licensed _________________ possessing a Doctor of Medicine (MD), that have
completed several years of internship in pathology
Coroners equivalent to MEs in some jurisdictions; some are _____________ county officials who handle
corpse and death investigation
Prosecutors Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) in _______________ law

Training
___________ education
___________________
In-house ________________ provided by the employing agency
External training sponsored by _______________and state agencies such as:
FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA

Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS)

_______________ provided by various associations during meetings

Certifications & Accreditations

American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD-LAB)

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

Certifies _______________ materials used in analysis

American Board of Criminalistics (ABC)

_______________ crime laboratories (ISO 17025)

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Accredits crime _____________________

Certifies ___________________ forensic scientists

Organizations

American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)

American Board of Criminalistics (ABC)

Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE)

More available on the AAFS website:

http://www.aafs.org/forensic-link

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Forensic Science Subdivisions

Use your notes and other resources to complete the chart below.

FORENSIC FIELD

DEFINITION

Forensic Accounting

Forensic Anthropology

Forensic Ballistics

Forensic Dentistry (Odontology)

Forensic Document Examination

Forensic Engineering

Forensic Entomology

Forensic Pathology

Forensic Psychology

Forensic Toxicology

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EXAMPLES