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FORENSICINTRODUCTION(/INDEX.HTML)

EVIDENCE(/EVIDENCE.HTML)

FORENSICSPECIALISTS(/FORENSICSPECIALISTS.HTML)

VICTIMS(/VICTIMS.HTML)

SUSPECTS(/SUSPECTS.HTML)

CRIMESCENE(/CRIMESCENE.HTML)

HOMEWORK(/HOMEWORK.HTML)

TEACHERSPAGE(/TEACHERSPAGE.HTML)

ForensicScienceInvestigationUnit (/)
Glossaryofterms
A
AbrasionAninjurytotheskinthatremovestheepitheliallayer.
AccidentReconstructionUsingphysicalevidencearecreateacrimeoraccidentscene.
AggravatingCircumstancesConditionswhichmakeacrimemoreserious.
AliasAnamethatanentityusesinplaceofitsrealname,usuallyforthepurposeofeitheranonymityordeception.
AntibodiesAclassofproteins(knownasimmunoglobulins)formedinthebodyinresponsetothepresenceofantigens(foreignproteinsand
othercompounds),whichbindtotheantigen,inactivatingit.
AnthropologyThescienceoftheorigin,culture,anddevelopmentofhumanbeings.Inforensics,thismainlyinvolvestheanalysisand
identificationofskeletalremains.
AnthropometryDevisedbyAlphonseBertillon,amethodofusingapersonskeybodymeasurementsasameansofidentification.
AntigensForeignsubstancesinthebodythatarecapableofcausingdisease.Thepresenceofantigensinthebodytriggersanimmune
response,usuallytheproductionofantibodies.Antigensmaybesolublesubstances,suchastoxinsandforeignproteins,orparticulate,suchas
bacteriaandtissuecellshoweveronlytheportionoftheproteinofpolysaccharidemoleculeknownastheantigenicdeterminantcombineswith
antibodyoraspecificreceptoronalymphocyte.
ArchesAcharacteristicpatternoffingerprintridges,possessedbyapproximately5%ofthepopulation.
ArsonIntentionallycausingafiretodestroythepropertyinacriminalmanner.
AsphyxiaDeathcausedbysuffocationasaresultofthelackofoxygenandincreaseofcarbondioxideintheblood.Alsoknownasapnoea.
AtomicAbsorptionSpectroscopyAmethodofanalysinggunshotresidue.
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AutoeroticAccidentAdeathusuallyoccurringfromasphyxiaproducedbymasturbatoryrituals.
AutopsyTheinternalmedicalexaminationofabodyusedtodeterminethecauseandcircumstancesofdeath.
B
BallisticsExpertThemaindutyoftheballisticsexpertistoanalysegunsandweaponsthatmayhavebeenusedtocommitcrimes.Theymay
firetestshotsfromacertainweaponinordertocomparebulletfragmentsorshellcasings.Theyalsomaypresentballisticevidenceandtheir
findingsincourtasanexpertwitness.
BarefootMorphologyThescienceofreadingfootprintsinordertoestablishthepace,size,andbodyweightoftheindividual.
BertillonageInventedbyAlphonseBertillon,anowobsoletemethodofclassifyinghumanbeingsbyasetofbodymeasurements.
BileAdigestivefluidmadebytheliverandstoredinthegallbladderthathelpsdigestfats.
BloodAnalysisSeeserology.
BloodGroupOneofthefourwaystocategoriseapersonbasedontheantibodiesandantigensintheirredbloodcellsA,B,AB,andO.
BloodPoolingThecongestionofbloodinthelowestareasofadeadbody.Seehypostasis.
BloodSpatterTheimpactofbloodonsurfaces.
BloodSpatterPatternAnalysisTheexaminationofbloodspatterpatternstodeterminetheeventswhichtookplacebefore,duringandafterthe
spillingoftheblood.
BloodstainInterpretationTheinterpretationoftheshape,size,orientation,anddistributionofbloodstains.
BotanistOnewhostudiesthescienceofplants.
BridgeAdentureanchoredtoteethoneithersideofmissingteeth.
BulletTrackThepathaprojectiletakesasitpassesthroughmatter.
BulletWipeAdark,ringlikemarkfoundaroundanentrancewound,composedoflead,carbonoilanddirt.
C
CadavericSpasmThesuddenrigidityofthemusclesimmediatelyafterdeath.
CalibreTheinternaldiameterofthegunbarrelorbullet,expressedinhundredthsofaninch.
CapCrownwork:dentalapplianceconsistingofanartificialcrownforatooth.
CapitalPunishmentThedeathsentence.
CartridgecaseAcylindricalcaseofpasteboard,metalorthelike,forholdingacompletechargeofpowder,andoften,alsothebulletforarifle,
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CartridgecaseAcylindricalcaseofpasteboard,metalorthelike,forholdingacompletechargeofpowder,andoften,alsothebulletforarifle,
machinegunorsmallarm.
CaseLinkageThediscoveryoflinksbetweencaseswhichwerepreviouslythoughttobeunrelated.
CastoffStainsBloodspatterproducedwhenabloodiedobjectispulledbackfromablow.
CauseofDeathAninjuryordiseasethatultimatelyleadstodeathoftheindividual,generallydeterminedbymedicalexaminersorcoroners.
ChainofCustodyAmethodofkeepingtrackofwhohashandledapieceofevidence,when,andforwhatpurpose.Vitalinensuringevidenceis
notdamagedoralteredinanyway.
CharacterDisorderApersonalitydisordermanifestedinpatternsofbehaviour.
ChokeTheconstrictionofashotgunbarreltoreducethespreadoftheshot,thusincreasingitsrange.
CircumstantialEvidenceEvidencefromwhichalogicalconclusionofafactmaybedrawn.
ColdCaseAnunsolvedcasewhichisstillopenbutnolongerbeingactivelyinvestigated.
CompositeDrawingAsketchcomposedofasuspectproducedfromoneormoreeyewitnessdescription.
ComputerForensicsTheapplicationofcomputertechnologyandtechniquestoaidlegalinvestigations.
ContactWoundAwoundoccurringwhenthefirearmisfiredwhilstplacedagainstasurface.
ContusionAsofthaemorrhagefromblunttrauma.
CoronerApublicofficialwhoinvestigatesbyinquestanydeathnotduetonaturalcauses.
CrimeSceneInvestigator(C.S.I.)orCrimeSceneOfficer(C.S.OastheyareknownasinAustralia)Thepersoninchargeofprocessinga
crimescene.Dutiesincludesealingoffthescene,photographingthesceneandcollectingevidence.Thejobtitlemayalsobecalledacriminologist
orcrimesceneanalyst.
CrimeSceneReconstructionTheuseofevidencetodeterminetheeventswhichoccurredatacrimescene.
CrimeSceneStagingThealterationofacrimesceneinordertoreduceitsevidentiaryvalue.
CriminalProfilingTheanalysisofthecrimesceneandcrimepatternstoassignrelevantcharacteristicstoaperpetratorinordertoaidlaw
enforcementinnarrowingthefieldofsuspects.
CriminologistScientistswhostudycrime,criminalsandcriminalbehaviour.
CrownAnenamelcover(onteeth).
CyanideAchemicalcompoundcomprisedofcarbonandnitrogen.Cyanideiswatersolubleandisusedinoreprocessingsolutionstoextract
goldfromcrushedrock.
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D
DeceptionTheactofdeceiving.
DecomposedDecayedbrokendownintoparts.
DefuseToremovethetriggeringdevicefrom(aweapon).
DiagnosisToprocessoftestingtoidentifyotherproblems.
DNADeoxyribonucleicacid.Thegeneticmaterialcontainedincells.
DNAProfileAcompositeofgeneticmarkersuniquelycharacterisinganindividual.
DNAProfilingCreatingaDNAfingerprintfromabiologicalsampleforuseincomparisonandtheidentificationofanindividual.
E
ElectrocutionDeathbroughtaboutbyelectricity.
EntomologistEntomolgyisthestudyofinsects,andtheforensicentomologistlooksforthepresenceofdifferenttypesofinsectsandlarvaeto
helpdeterminetimeandlocationofacrime.Theyarevitaltoprovingwhetheracrimetookplaceatthescene,oranotherlocation.The
entomologicalevidencecanassistinprovingwhereacrimetookplace,andhowlongago.
EnzymeAproteinthatacceleratestherateofchemicalreactions.Enzymesarecatalyststhatpromotereactionsrepeatedly,withoutbeing
damagedbythereactions.
EvidenceProofordisproof.Itcanbephysical(blood,oraweapon)ortestimonial(witnessstatements).Anyitems,documentsandstatements
thatareincludedinalegalinvestigationforthejurysorjudgesconsiderationinthedeterminationofanindividualsguiltorinnocence.
ExpertWitnessAnindividualwithaspecialisedknowledgeofacertainfieldthatcanassistintheunderstandingofcomplicatedinformationor
offeranexpertopinion.
F
FemurAlsocalledthethighbone,isthelongbonebetweenthehipandtheknee.
FibreAfine,threadlikepiecemattermadefromsuchthreads.
FillingAdentalapplianceconsistingofanyofvarioussubstances(asmetalorplastic)insertedintoapreparedcavityinatooth"whenhe
yawnedIcouldseethegoldfillingsinhisteeth.AninformalBritishtermfor`filling'is`stopping'.
FingerprintTheuniquepatterncreatedbytheridgesfoundonthepalmsideskinoffingersandthumbs.
FloaterAcorpsefoundinwater,oftenfloatingduetothebuiltupongasintheabdomenresultingfromdecomposition.
ForensicAnthropologistScientistwhostudieshumanbonesandskeletalstructures.
ForensicmedicineAbranchofmedicalsciencethatusesmedicalknowledgeforlegalpurposes.
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ForensicmedicineAbranchofmedicalsciencethatusesmedicalknowledgeforlegalpurposes.
ForensicScientistPeoplewhoprocessandanalyseevidenceinacrimecase.Theycanspecialiseinanalysingfingerprints,bloodsplatter,
DNA,firearms,firearms(gunsorbullets)impressions(tyretracksandshoeprints)toolmarksorotherareas.
ForgeryAnattempttoreplicatetheoriginalitemandpassitoffasauthentic.
G
GeneralisationTheprocessofmakingstatementsaboutthegeneralpopulationonthebasisofrelevantresearch.
GraphologyTheartofdeterminingindividualcharacteristictraitsofapersonbasedonhisorherhandwriting.
GridSearchAcrimescenesearchingpattern.Thesceneissegmentedintosmallerareas,eachofwhichisindividuallysearchedforevidence.
GunShotResidueAlsoknownasGSR.Theunburnedpowderpropelledfromagunwhenabulletisfired.Itwilloftenbefoundontheclothingor
skinoftheshooterorvictim.
H
HabitAnestablishedcustom.
HaemorrhageTobleedseverely.
HemastixApresumptivebloodtestingtool.
HaemoglobinThisistheproteininaredbloodcellresponsibleforcarryingoxygeninthebloodstream.
HaemorrhageAseverebleed.
HighRiskVictimAnindividualwhoiscontinuouslyexposedtodanger,suchasdrugusersandprostitutes.
HITSHomicideInvestigationrackingSystem,WashingtonStatesdatabaseusedtolinkviolentcrimesthroughsignatureanalysis.
HomicideMurder,adeathcausedbyanotherperson.
HypothermiaThissituationoccurswhenthecoretemperatureofone'sbodyfallsbelownormal.Itisthefailureofthebodytomaintainadequate
productionofheatunderconditionsofextremecold.
I
ImpressionEvidenceTheevidenceleftbyanythingthatleavesakindofimpressionatthesceneoronanitem,suchasfootprints,tiretracks,
ortoolmarks.
IndentAnimpressionleftonpapercausedbytheforcefromapentip.
InfraredLightthatissoredhumanscannotseeit.Abandoftheelectromagneticspectrumbetweenthevisibleandthemicrowave.Photonsof
infraredlightarelessenergeticthanphotonsofvisiblelight.
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Infraredspectroscopy(IRSpectroscopy)Atypeofspectroscopythatusestheinfraredportionoftheelectromagneticspectrum.Theinfrared
partoftheelectromagneticspectrumelectromagneticwavefrequenciesbelowthevisiblerange.
InsanityThelegaltermforamentaldiseaseordefectthatmayessentiallyabsolvethepersonofresponsibility.
L
LacerationsAnythingthathasbeentornroughlyforexamplearoughcut.
LarvaeTheyoungofanyinsectwhichgoesthroughmetamorphosis(changesinbodystructure)beforebecominganadult.
LocardsExchangePrincipleEverycontactleavesatrace.Atheorystatingthatanyonewhoentersacrimescenewillleavesomethingbehind
ortakesomethingaway.
LuminalsprayAsubstanceusedtoenhancefingerprints.
LuminescenceEmissionoflightbychemicalorelectricalmeans.
M
MaggotsThelarvaeoffliesandotherinsectsthatliveonrottingfood.
MannerofDeathThewayinwhichdeathwascausedhomicide,suicide,accidental,natural,orundetermined.
MassKillerAnindividualwhokillsmanypeopleatthesametime.
MedicalExaminerDoctorwhoexaminesbodiesandperformsautopsiestodeterminethetimeandcauseofdeath.
MeteorologistForensicmeteorologyistheprocessofreconstructingweathereventsforacertainlocation.Theforensicmeteorologistreviews
weatherreports,radarandsatelliteimages,andconductsinterviewswithwitnessestodeterminetheweatheratthetimeofacrime,andifthisdata
matchesupwiththerestoftheevidence.
MitigatingCircumstancesFactorsthatmaydiminishthedegreeofguiltinacriminaloffence,suchasageorinfluenceofdrugs.
MurderAmannerofdeathinwhichonepersonkillsanother.Murderisthemostseriouswayofcausingthedeathofanotherpersonunderthe
law.Itcanalsobemanslaughter(alessseriouscharge).
MusicologistAsthenamesuggeststhemusicologistisanexpertwholooksformusicaloraudibleevidenceandidentifiesthesource.Thiscould
belisteningtonoisesinthebackgroundofanaudioorvideorecordingtoattempttoidentifytimeandlocation.
N
NakedeyeTheeye,unaidedbyanyopticalinstrumentthataltersthepowerofvisionoralterstheapparentsizeordistanceofobjects"itisnot
safetolookdirectlyatthesunwiththenakedeye".
NucleusApartofthecellcontainingDNAandRNAandresponsibleforgrowthandreproduction.

O
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O
OdontologistThisspecialistisalsoknownasaforensicdentist.Theyexamineevidencerelatedtoteethandbitemarks,andalsoassistinthe
identificationofapersonbytheirdentalrecords.
OpticalOpticalmeanssomethingthatpertainsorisdesignedtoassistsightpertainingtoorusinglight.
Ossification(osteogenesis)Athreestageprocessbywhichboneisformed.Thefirststepistheformationofameshofcollagenfibers.Next,
thebodyproducesa"cement"substance(polysaccharide).Finally,smallcrystalsofcalciumsaltsaredepositedintothecementtoformbone.
P
PalynologistForensicPalynologistsareexpertsinthefieldofpollensandpowdersthatcanbefoundatacrimescene.Liketheentomologist,
theysearchforevidencethatacrimetookplaceatacertainlocation,andexamineclothestodetermineifasuspecthadlikelybeenatascene
basedonthetraceamountsoftheenvironmenttheycollectjustbybeingthere.
PathologistPathologistsaretrainedmedicaldoctorswhoattempttodeterminethecauseofdeathofaperson.Theyconductautopsiesand
presentevidencetothecauseofdeathofapersoninacourtoflaw.
PatternEvidenceEvidencewhichcanbereadfromaspecificpattern,suchasashowimpression.
PerpetratorThepersonwhocommitsacrime.
PettycrimeAsmallcrimesuchasminortheftortrespass.
PhysicalEvidenceIsanyitemrelevanttoanoccurrenceofacrime.
PolygraphAmedicalinstrumentthatrecordsseveralphysiologicalprocessessimultaneously(e.g.pulserateandbloodpressureandrespiration
andperspiration).
ProsecutorThelawyerthatrepresentsthegovernment.
PostmortemAfterdeath.
PostmortemIntervalPMI.Thetimesincedeath.
ProtocolAsetofformalrulesdescribinghowtotransmitdata,especiallyacrossanetwork.Lowlevelprotocolsdefinetheelectricalandphysical
standardstobeobserved,bitandbyteorderingandthetransmissionanderrordetectionandcorrectionofthebitstream.Highlevelprotocolsdeal
withthedataformatting,includingthesyntaxofmessages,theterminaltocomputerdialog,charactersets,andsequencingofmessages.
PsychiatristForensicpsychiatristarethelinkbetweenpsychiatry,thestudandtreatmentofmentaldisorders,andthepeoplethatsufferfrom
them,andthejusticesystem.Theyinterviewaccusedcriminalsanddetermineifthatpersoniscompetenttostandtrial.
PsychologicalProfileAmethodofgatheringspeculativeinformationregardingasuspectspsychologicalmakeupinordertoaidthe
investigation.
PunctureWoundAninjurycausedbythepiercingofthebody,oftenbyahandheldobject.
PutrefactionOneofthefinalchangestotakeplaceinthehumanbody,essentiallytheanaerobicbacterialdigestionoftheremains.
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R
RansomAnexchangeorbuybackformoneyunderthreat.
ResidueMatterthatremainsaftersomethinghasbeenremoved.
RidgeCharacteristicsTheendings,bifurcations,enclosuresandsimilarridgedetailsinafingerprint.
RigormortisThestiffeningofthebodymusclesafterdeath.
RitualStereotypedbehaviour.
S
SerratedContainingsharplypointedteeth.
SerialCrimeAnycrimeoccurringinapatternindicatingasingleoffender.
SerialKillerAnindividualwhohasmurderedthreeormorepeoplewithacoolingoffperiodinbetween.
SerologistSerologistssearchforevidenceofbodilyfluidsthatmaybefoundatacrimescene,eitherfromthevictimsortheaccusedcriminal.
TheymayalsobeinvolvedinbloodspatteranalysisorthecollectionofDNAfromthefluidstheyhavecollected.
SignatureCrimeAcrimescenebearingtheindividualstampofaparticularoffender.
SolventsLiquids,usuallypetroleumbased,thatcandissolvesolidsandkeeptheminsolution.Maycontributetopollutionthroughevaporation.
SpeculativeSearchAsearchbasedoninformationratherthanactualevidence.
SpreeKillerAnindividualwhomurdersnumerouspeoplewithnocoolingoffperiodinbetween.
StipplingMinuteburnmarksleftbygunpowderasitleavesthegun,alsoknownastattooing.
StrangulationTheconditionofhavingrespirationstoppedbycompressionoftheairpassage.
SubconsciousSubconsciousmind:psychicactivityjustbelowthelevelofawareness.
SuperGlueFumingAmethodofdevelopinglatentfingerprintsusingthefumesofcyanoacrylateorasimilarsubstance,whichadherestothe
oilsinthefingerprint,visualisingit.
T
TapeLiftAnadhesiveusedtolifttraceevidencefromacrimesceneorobject.
TextilesClothesandfabrics.
ToxicologistToxicologistsresearchandassesstheeffectsofchemicalsonapersonortheenvironment,andperformcarefullydesignedstudies
andexperiments.Forensictoxicologistslookfortoxicsubstancesinacrimescene,andactasexpertswhenpresentingthisevidenceincourt
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andexperiments.Forensictoxicologistslookfortoxicsubstancesinacrimescene,andactasexpertswhenpresentingthisevidenceincourt
TraceEvidenceEvidencesuchashair,fibres,dustorsoilparticles,paintflakesorothermicroscopicmaterialthatcanlinkasuspecttoaplace
whereacrimewascommitted.
TrajectoryTrajectoryisthepathofafiredprojectile.
TraumaAphysicalinjuryorwoundcausedbyanexternalforceofviolence,whichmaycausedeathorpermanentdisability.Traumaisalsoused
todescribesevereemotionalorpsychologicalshockordistress.
U
UltravioletOforrelatingtotherangeofinvisibleradiationwavelengthsfromabout4nanometers,ontheborderofthexrayregion,toabout380
nanometers,justbeyondthevioletinthevisiblespectrum.
UltravioletlightRadiationlyingintheultravioletrangewavelengthsshorterthanlightbutlongerthanXrays.
V
VagusnerveEitheroftwocranialnervesextendingthroughneckintothoraxandtheupperpartoftheabdomenapneumogastricnerve.
VerdictThefindingoranswergiventothecourtbythejury.
VertebraeOneortwentyfourmoveablesegmentsofthehumanspinalcolumn.Twovertebraeadjacenttoeachotherformamotorunit.
W
WhorlsApatternwithinafingerprintinwhichtheridgemakesatleastonecompletecircuit.
WisdomteethThethirdmolarteeth,thelastineachquadrant.
X
XraysInvisible,highlypenetratingelectromagneticradiationofamuchshorterwavelengththanvisiblelight,discoveredin1895byWilhelmC.
Roentgen.MostapplicationsofXraysarebasedontheirabilitytopassthroughmatter.Theyaredangerousinthattheycandestroylivingtissue,
causingsevereskinburnsonhumanfleshexposedfortoolongatime.Thispropertyisappliedinxraytherapytodestroydiseasedcells.See
Ionisingradiation.
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