Midterm Exam Review

Forensics Midterm Study

Contents:       Chapter One -- History of Forensics -- Slides 2 -        Chapter Two + Three -- Evidence + Crime Scene -- Slides        Chapter Four -- Fingerprints -- Slides        Chapter Fifteen -- Ballistics -- Slides

Major Departments of a Crime Lab

      -- Physical science unit -- chemistry, physics, geology       -- Biology unit -- human body + other living things       -- Firearms + Ballistics unit -- guns + other projectiles       

Largest Crime Lab + Other Agencies

      -- Largest lab -- FBI -- federal labs       -- DEA -- state labs       -- ATF -- private labs       -- All these agencies put their data together to have a cohesive database

Forensic Specialties

 -- Anthropology -- Bones  -- Psychiatry -- Sanity, competence, etc. -- Odontology -- Teeth ​​​​​​​ -- Engineering -- Physically possible? How? ​​​​​​​ -- Computer Technology ​​​​​​​ -- Pathology -- Disease  

-- Geology -- Rocks + Sediment ​​​​​​​ -- Environmental Science ​​​​​​​ -- Entomology -- Bugs  -- Palynology -- Pollen + Spores  -- Polygraphy -- Lie detector ​​​​​​​ -- Voiceprint Analysis -- Tone, sound, patterns​​​​​​​

Locard Principle

      -- Locard Exchange Principle -- whenever two [2] objects come into contact with each other,       -- there's always a transfer of material       -- Importance -- this is what forensics is build upon + is pertinent to how forensic scientists work

Infractions + Misdemeanors + Felonies

      -- Infraction -- minor offense or petty crime / fine / not on record / ex. traffic violation       -- Misdemeanor -- minor crime / fine or jail / on record / ex. vandalism       -- Felony -- major crime / prison / on record / ex. murder

Murder

      -- 3 levels                -- 1st                      -- Actor purposely causes death                -- 2nd                      -- Actor knowingly causes death                -- Felony murder                      -- Actor directly or indirectly causes the death of another whilst committing predicate                      -- crimes (ex. robbery, sexual assault, arson, burglary, kidnapping, carjacking, criminal                      -- escape, and terrorism

Manslaughter

 -- Manslaughter - 2 situations      -- Recklessly causing death          -- No extreme indifference to human life      -- Causing death in the heat of the     --          -- moment from reasonable provocation

 -- Aggravated Manslaughter - 2 situations      -- Recklessly causing death          -- Extreme indifference to human life      -- Causing the death of another while     --      -- fleeing/attempting to elude law      --          -- enforcement

Other Murder / Manslaughter Crimes

 -- Vehicular homicide      -- Homicide caused by driving behind a            -- vehicle or vessel recklessly

 -- Suicide crime      -- Illegal to assist someone in their suicide      -- Legal to defend their right to refuse     --      -- treatment + life support (ex. DNRs)

Amendments - You've got rights!

 -- 4th Amendment      -- Unreasonable search + seizure w/o      --      -- probable cause  -- 5th Amendment      -- Self-incrimination (shut up)      -- Due process (everything the law offers)      -- Double jeopardy (tried twice, same crime)

 -- 6th Amendment      -- Fair + Speedy trial      -- Lawyer for questioning + trial      -- Jury of your peers      -- Confront witnesses against you -- 8th Amendment      -- Bail is appropriate for the crime          -- Stack v. Boyle -- 1951      -- No cruel + unusual punishment          -- Furman v. Georgia -- 1972

Miranda Rights

      -- Miranda v. Arizona -- 1966                -- Unaware of rights, lawyers argued that Miranda did not know he didn't have to speak       -- Right to remain silent       -- Right to an attorney       -- Right to a trial       -- Right to be present at all of your court proceedings       -- Must be read these rights in a way you can understand, Spanish, Dutch, ASL, English, etc.       -- IMPORTANT -- If not Mirandarized, everything you say/do is inadmissible in court

Arraignment + Booking + Grand Jury

      -- Arraignment -- legal proceedings in front of a judge, defendant hears charges, enters a plea, +       -- bail / remand / ROR (release on own recognizance) is established       -- Booking -- mug shots, fingerprints, basic information about the arrestee       -- Grand jury portions -- indict, dismiss case, reduce charges due to insufficient evidence, and set a       -- date for trial

Plea Bargains

      -- 90% of cases end in a plea bargain       -- Defendant + prosecution work out a deal       -- Done in order to get a reduced charge / lessened sentence                -- Example -- murder charge reduced to manslaughter

Probative + Material

 -- Probative      -- Prove something to be true

 -- Material      -- Relevant + significant to the case

Hearsay

      -- Hearsay -- when you repeat something someone else said, 'he said, she said'       -- Not a true witness, mostly just gossip, negatively impacts the case

Expert Witness

      -- Expert witness -- a specialist, often technical, who may present their expert opinion without            -- witness any occurrence relating to the case       -- Qualified to give an opinion in court based on their specialty / expertise / training       -- Only time an opinion is admissible in court

Frye Standard + Daubert Rulings

-- Frye Standard      -- Frye v. United States -- 1923          -- Scientific evidence allowed in the                 -- courtroom if it is generally accepted            -- by the relevant scientific community          -- No guidance on reliability or evidence            -- presented in trial          -- Jury decides its admissibility

-- Daubert Rulings      -- Daubert v. Dow -- 1993          -- Determined by:          --

START CHAPTER 2 + 3

Types of Evidence

      -- Evidence -- anything that tends to establish or disprove a fact / evidence includes testimony,            -- documents, and objects       -- Testimonial Evidence -- AKA prima facie evidence / directly attests to something / statement        -- made under oath, not hearsay       -- Physical Evidence -- AKA real evidence / any object or material (tangible) that is relevant to the       -- crime

Eyewitness Testimony

      -- Unreliable -- memory is malleable + can be influenced, also changes over time so statements        -- are never set in stone

Categorize Evidence

 -- Transient Evidence      -- Temporary / easily changed or lost      -- Odor, temperature, imprints, indentations      -- Car recently turned off (still warm)  -- Conditional Evidence      -- Specific event or action      -- Light, smoke, fire, location, condition of          -- the scene, location of items      -- Which actions cause it to be like that?

 -- Indirect Evidence      -- Providing only a basis for inference about the disputed fact  -- Conditional Evidence