Deck 4: The Psychology of Forensic Identification: Dna, Fingerprints, and Physical Trace Evidence

Question 1

Which of the following statements about forensic identification is NOT true?

A) It is very difficult to calculate the rate of false positive matches for most types of trace evidence.
B) Judges generally welcome information about the rate of false positives on the basis that it is useful.
C) Judges often consider professional experience of the forensic examiner more important than a solid scientific background.
D) Many scholars criticize the word "match" as a misleading and biased way to describe evidence.

Answer 1

Judges generally welcome information about the rate of false positives on the basis that it is useful.

Question 2

Which of the following types of forensic identification evidence are ranked from the strongest (on the left) to the weakest (on the right)?

A) DNA, bullet matching, fingerprints.
B) Fingerprints, DNA, bullet matching.
C) DNA, fingerprints, bullet matching.
D) Bullet matching, DNA, fingerprints.

Answer 2

DNA, fingerprints, bullet matching.

Question 3

For many years, _____ forensic evidence, like bullet matching and handwriting analysis, were used _____ in court.

A) questionable; widely
B) solid; rarely
C) questionable; rarely
D) solid; widely

Answer 3

questionable; widely

Question 4

Forensic identification can best be defined as the process of linking:

A) physical evidence to a particular individual.
B) theory to fact.
C) a particular individual to a source.
D) physical evidence to a crime scene.

Question 5

The degree to which two or more observers or analysts independently arrive at the same measurement result is called:

A) interrater validity.
B) match validity.
C) test-retest reliability.
D) interrater reliability.

Question 6

Who pioneered the use of fingerprints in establishing identity?

A) Alphonse Bertillon
B) Francis Galton
C) James Watson
D) Charles Darwin

Question 7

Features of fingerprints are referred to as _____, and the impressions found at the scene of a crime are called _____.

A) whorls; finite loops
B) finite loops; friction ridges
C) ridge characteristics; latent prints
D) ridge characteristics; hidden metrics

Question 8

If a measure or observation consistently produces similar results through repeated measurements, it is known as:

A) validity.
B) reliability.
C) practicality.
D) accuracy.

Question 9

Which of the following terms refers to whether a technique measures what it is supposed to measure?

A) Validity.
B) Reliability.
C) Practicality.
D) Consistency.

Question 10

The process of linking a piece of physical trace evidence to an individual (suspect) is called:

A) anthropometry.
B) biometrics.
C) forensic identification.
D) iris scanning.

Question 11

When a crime is committed:

A) forensic identification is almost always possible.
B) some kind of physical trace is often left behind.
C) the crime scene contains fingerprints and saliva.
D) the perpetrator tries to get as far away as possible from the scene of the crime.

Question 12

In a _____ test, the forensic examiner does not know that he or she is being tested.

A) blind.
B) blindfolded.
C) mock-blinded.
D) mock.

Question 13

Since people rather than computers make decisions about whether there is a match, the process of forensic identification may be influenced by psychological biases. The tendency to seek out evidence that bolsters our beliefs and to ignore evidence that contradicts our beliefs is known as:

A) confirmation bias.
B) contextual bias.
C) self-serving prophecy.
D) the fundamental attribution error.

Question 14

There are several sources of bias in forensic identification procedures. Which of the following statements is NOT indicative of such a bias?

A) Trace evidence is almost always tested in labs closely affiliated with law enforcement and prosecution.
B) Forensic science is secretive and fears negative findings.
C) Forensic identification procedures are conducted in strictly controlled lab settings.
D) Most research on forensic identification techniques is sponsored by financially interested parties.

Question 15

Biological evidence may include:

A) blood, saliva, semen, and skin cells.
B) blood, saliva, modus operandi, and fingerprints.
C) semen, skin cells, and fabric threads.
D) skin cells, saliva, and tool marks.

Question 16

Which of the following statements represents correctly how DNA evidence was received in U.S. courts?

A) The courts have embraced DNA analysis as a scientifically sound and proven technique.
B) DNA analysis was subjected to much more scrutiny in the courts compared to other commonly used methods like fingerprint analysis.
C) The courts at first embraced DNA but then it fell out of favor and was replaced by more scientifically sound methods.
D) DNA has never been fully accepted by the courts because a lot of doubts remain in its scientific validity and relevance.

Question 17

Jurors have great difficulty making sense of _____ statements so they need additional explanations about the meaning of _____.

A) match; life
B) statistical; lab testing
C) match; lab testing
D) statistical; probabilities

Question 18

The most frequently used DNA database system in the world is called CODIS. It is maintained by the:

A) INTERPOL.
B) FBI.
C) CIA.
D) Secret Service.

Question 19

The main similarity between Bertillon's anthropometry and modern biometrics is that both:

A) use iris color and other facial features to identify individuals.
B) are established fields of science that are widely used in court.
C) establish the relationship between the skull shape and personality.
D) aim to identify an individual based on measurable anatomical traces.

Question 20

Biometrics is the:

A) study of facial features.
B) study of skull shapes.
C) identification of anomalies for the purpose of matching.
D) identification based on measurable anatomical traits.

Question 21

Reliability refers to:

A) the consistency of a measure or observation.
B) whether the measure is actually measuring what it is supposed to measure.
C) a situation of low validity.
D) the definition of the details of a match.

Question 22

A simple match statement by a forensic expert:

A) uses statistical analysis.
B) applies probability categories.
C) defines specific features and their likelihood.
D) does not use statistical terms.

Question 23

Nicholas was brought in for questioning and asked to provide his fingerprints. Based on fingerprint evidence, he was excluded as a suspect. This means that the fingerprints found at the crime scene were:

A) too smudged to prove to be his.
B) incomplete and could not be matched.
C) found to be from someone else.
D) inconclusive.

Question 24

Ebony works as a fingerprint examiner. In a blind test, she is asked to determine if the two fingerprints match. She does not know that it is the same pair of fingerprints she has evaluated a few months before. To compare her previous decision with her current decision would allow us to measure:

A) interrater reliability.
B) test-retest reliability.
C) internal consistency.
D) interpersonal validity.

Question 25

Diego is a forensic expert who is asked to testify whether the wound that the victim died from came from a knife found in the suspect's car. Diego has confirmed a high level of agreement between the knife and the wound, which in his professional opinion means the wound was produced by the knife in question. This type of opinion is called a(n):

A) quantitative statement.
B) uncorroborated match.
C) match plus statistics.
D) individualization.

Question 26

According to the text, forensic experts testifying in court often cannot provide scientific data about error rates. Instead, they are more likely to invoke their:

A) vast experience as a fingerprint examiner.
B) level of education.
C) recognition in the profession.
D) familial relationships.

Question 27

According to the text, it is not easy to calculate the false positive rate for most types of trace evidence because:

A) jurors feel unprepared and lacking specialized education to understand such details.
B) judges would not allow it in court testimony by a forensic expert.
C) forensic examiners do not want to participate in studies of error rates.
D) this is not a research question scientists are interested in answering.

Question 28

A survey was administered to high school seniors in Anytown. According to the survey results, fewer than 0.5% of the students drove drunk in the previous 6 months. A month later, the survey was repeated and it again indicated that fewer than 0.5% of Anytown seniors drove drunk in the previous 6 months. Based on this information, the survey has:

A) high interrater validity.
B) low interrater reliability.
C) high test--retest reliability.
D) low measurement validity.

Question 29

A shoe imprint left at the crime scene will be much more helpful if it comes from a(n) _____ shoe.

A) well-worn
B) new
C) in-mint condition
D) borrowed

Question 30

Temporal consistency is sometimes referred to as:

A) test-retest reliability.
B) interrater reliability.
C) superior validity.
D) interobserver agreement.

Question 31

A false positive means that a(n):

A) expert declares there is no match when it actually matches.
B) expert declares a match when there is no match in reality.
C) judge declares a mistrial.
D) jury nullifies the expert's credentials.

Question 32

A qualitative statement made by an expert when presenting evidence is:

A) a subjective statement corroborated by statistics.
B) a non-statistical statement about the strength of a match.
C) based on research studies rather than on the analysis of trace evidence.
D) supported by peer review from multiple experts analyzing the same case.

Question 33

Two fingerprint examiners have independently concluded that the suspect can be excluded as the source of the print. This scenario illustrates the _____ of fingerprint analysis as a measure.

A) interrater reliability
B) test-retest reliability
C) temporal consistency
D) interpersonal validity

Question 34

If the imprint came from a popular type of Adidas sneaker, it reflects _____; if the imprint has a unique pattern of wear and tear, it reflects _____.

A) individual characteristics; group characteristics
B) group characteristics; individual characteristics
C) a matrix source; an origin source
D) an origin source; a matrix source

Question 35

Which one of the following situations would be an example of a false negative error?

A) An expert declares there is no match when it actually matches.
B) An expert declares a match when there is no match in reality.
C) A judge declares a mistrial.
D) A jury nullifies the expert's credentials.

Question 36

Forensic identification is less likely to result in inconclusive findings when a _____ left at the crime scene is _____.

A) fingerprint; partial.
B) tire thread; incomplete.
C) fingerprint; smudged.
D) tire thread; clear.

Question 37

Bullet-matching results:

A) are inconsistent and unproven, even after they have been used in thousands of trials.
B) are generally confirmed by scientific studies to be reliable and can be safely used in court.
C) can always match to a particular suspect if the gun is recovered.
D) demonstrate that each bullet is unique and can be identified as such.

Question 38

Validity refers to:

A) the consistency of a measure or observation.
B) whether the measure is actually measuring what it is supposed to measure.
C) a situation of low value.
D) the definition of the details of a match.

Question 39

Among the types of questionable forensic evidence that has been used in courts for decades, the text mentions the chemical composition of the bullets and handwriting analysis. What is the reason these are not valid techniques?

A) Each case is unique and cannot be compared to others.
B) The error rate is too high to make the techniques useful.
C) It is very rare to find bullets and handwritten notes at the crime scene.
D) The techniques are too expensive and there are very few experts in these.

Question 40

Shelly testifies in court that the DNA recovered at the crime scene is likely to come from the suspect because less than 0.0001% of population have this specific genetic marker. This type of identification is called a(n):

A) simple match.
B) match plus statistics.
C) qualitative statement.
D) inconclusive statement.

Question 41

When comparing the latent prints with the suspect's fingerprints, a _____ makes a decision on whether there is a _____.

A) person; crime
B) computer; match
C) person; match
D) computer; crime

Question 42

According to the text, the analysis of bullet striations, tool marks, and bite marks for comparison identification is:

A) scientifically sound and widely used in court.
B) scientifically unproven but routinely used in court.
C) well-established as reliable evidence but not used often in court.
D) scientifically weak and unreliable but should still be used in court.

Question 43

Which of the following forms of forensic identification evidence is the most objective one?

A) DNA analysis.
B) Fingerprint analysis.
C) Bullet matching.
D) Handwriting analysis.

Question 44

A survey was administered to high school seniors in Anytown. According to the survey results, fewer than 5 of them drove drunk in the previous 6 months. However, Anytown police records indicate that more than 15 Anytown seniors were arrested for driving drunk in the previous 6 months. Based on this information, the survey has:

A) high interrater validity.
B) low interrater reliability.
C) high test-retest reliability.
D) low measurement validity.

Question 45

All of the following problems lead to fingerprint evidence being imperfect and prone to error, EXCEPT:

A) latent prints are often smudged or partial.
B) if the number of matching ridge characteristics reaches 16, the two prints match.
C) there is no information on how common certain ridge characteristics are in the population.
D) each fingerprint examiner makes decisions based on his or her own perception of the fingerprints.

Question 46

Fingerprint patterns identified by Sir Francis Galton in the late 1800s, include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) loops.
B) whorls.
C) bridges.
D) arches.

Question 47

DNA can be extracted from _____ evidence:

A) any
B) biological
C) controversial
D) psychometric

Question 48

At each locus of the DNA strand, a person has two genetic characteristics, or _____: one inherited _____.

A) alleles; from each parent
B) loci; from birth, another acquired
C) alleles; from birth, another acquired
D) loci; from each parent

Question 49

When a fingerprint examiner is asked to compare a suspect's fingerprints with the _____, this means she needs to compare the suspect's prints with the ones found at the scene of a crime.

A) latent prints
B) existing database
C) known criminal
D) friction ridges

Question 50

_____ the other, well-established forms of forensic identification, DNA identification was subjected to _____ scrutiny to establish its scientific validity and relevance.

A) Just like; rather lax
B) Just like; increased
C) Unlike; rather lax
D) Unlike; increased

Question 51

All of the following problems plague forensic science, EXCEPT:

A) financial ties and conflict of interest are common in forensic science.
B) forensic science has been marked by secrecy and fear of negative findings.
C) each scientific study undergoes extensive scrutiny by peer reviewers.
D) most examiners lack advanced graduate training in scientific methods.

Question 52

According to the text, most forensic examiners hold a(n):

A) master's degree.
B) Ph.D.
C) bachelor's degree.
D) associate's degree.

Question 53

The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) maintained by the FBI:

A) is still in the process of being constructed.
B) relies on voluntary DNA donations from the FBI employees.
C) is the most frequently used DNA database in the world.
D) has been closed due to the high rate of errors.

Question 54

Sir Francis Galton, who was the first to describe fingerprint patterns and use them for matching, was an early pioneer in the field of psychometrics, advocating the idea that individual psychological traits can be:

A) measured.
B) developed.
C) improved.
D) swapped.

Question 55

To reduce error and bias, a blind test can be administered to a forensic examiner, which means that the examiner:

A) does not know he or she is being tested.
B) does not know the correct procedure to follow.
C) is given a test once a year.
D) performs a test while being blindfolded.

Question 56

DNA can be used more successfully to infer some individual characteristics rather than others because environmental factors and people's behavior influence certain traits more than other ones. Which one of the following characteristics is the easiest to figure out from the DNA?

A) Age
B) Race
C) Weight
D) Health status

Question 57

Pierre has received a piece of pizza crust with DNA evidence from the crime scene, to analyze and compare it with the CODIS database for possible matches. However, because the piece of pizza crust was mistakenly stored in a plastic bag instead of a paper bag before it got to the lab, the DNA evidence has deteriorated and now yields ambiguous results. Now _____ make a judgment on whether there is a match.

A) Pierre must let the computer
B) the police detective who collected the evidence will
C) the trial judge will need to
D) Pierre has to

Question 58

A fingerprint examiner's decision about a match may be influenced by whether he is told the suspect has confessed to the crime. This tendency to seek out information that supports one's beliefs is known as:

A) expected outcome.
B) integration of thought.
C) confirmation bias.
D) attribution error.

Question 59

In forensic identification, it is crucial to know whether a specific technique, for example, hair analysis, can actually measure if one hair matches another one. If the technique doesn't do a good job, it means it has:

A) high interrater validity.
B) low external reliability.
C) high test-retest reliability.
D) low measurement validity.

Question 60

Kelly works as a fingerprint examiner. A police detective showed her some gory photos of the crime scene and told her that the suspect in custody is a likely perpetrator of the murder. Kelly is more likely to find a match between the latent prints and the suspect's prints because of:

A) integration of thought error.
B) contextual bias.
C) generalization bias.
D) fundamental attribution error.

Question 61

What type of influence do the CSI TV dramas have on jurors?

Question 62

The text identifies three fundamental problems with forensic identification. Which of the following is NOT among these problems?

A) Many forms of identification evidence have a weak scientific foundation.
B) Forensic identification is too often conducted at the crime scene rather than in a lab.
C) There is always a risk of contamination or misrepresentation of the trace evidence.
D) The way information about a "match" is communicated to a judge or jury can be misleading.

Question 63

Discuss the role of human judgment in forensic identification techniques like DNA and fingerprint matching. Illustrate how it increases the potential for errors.

Question 64

Research noted in the text reveals that jurors:

A) have difficulty interpreting statistical statements.
B) understand statistical information reasonably well.
C) rely on qualitative results only.
D) rely on quantitative results only.

Question 65

Fingerprint evidence is _____ for jurors to understand because, unlike DNA analysis information, it does not involve _____.

A) harder; probabilities
B) easier; probabilities
C) harder; multiple sources
D) easier; multiple sources

Question 66

How can errors in forensic investigations be reduced?

Question 67

How does reliability differ from validity? Use examples to illustrate both.