Question 1

An incised wound generally has a clean edge. It is longer than it is deep and there isn't any bridging of skin.

Accepted Answer

An incised wound is typically a clean cut that is longer than it is deep, made by a sharp object, resulting in edges that are close together without any bridging of skin.

Question 2

The most common forms of death due to asphyxia are found in strangulation, suffocation, hanging, drowning and inhalation of poison gas cases.

Accepted Answer

Asphyxia, which is the condition of being deprived of oxygen, can lead to death or serious injury if not quickly corrected. The most common forms of death by asphyxia include strangulation, suffocation, hanging, drowning, and inhalation of poison gas, as these situations directly impair the body's ability to acquire oxygen.

Question 3

Putrefaction is caused by the micro?organisms and bacteria within the intestinal tract, which escape from the bowel. It is an extremely accurate method of determining the time of death.

Accepted Answer

Putrefaction is indeed caused by microorganisms and bacteria, but it is not an extremely accurate method of determining the time of death due to the variability in environmental conditions and the body's condition that can significantly affect the rate of decomposition.

Question 4

Post mortem lividity, also referred to as Livor Mortis, is the pooling of blood into the dependent capillaries and veins. Aside from ASSOCIATIVE FACTORS, it is considered to be a very effective factor in determining Time of Death during the early stages of death.

Accepted Answer

Post mortem lividity, or Livor Mortis, is a key indicator used in forensic pathology to help estimate the time of death. It begins to develop within 1-2 hours after death and becomes fully fixed by 6-12 hours, providing valuable information about the time of death during the early post-mortem period.

Question 5

Putrefactive gases include, cadaverine, butyl mercaptide, and other mercaptides as well as
hydrogen sulfide and other sulfides.

Accepted Answer

Putrefactive gases, which are produced during the decomposition of a body, include cadaverine, butyl mercaptide, other mercaptides, hydrogen sulfide, and other sulfides, all of which contribute to the characteristic odors of decomposition.

Question 6

The most effective and practical method of making Estimates of Times of Death are based upon the information derived from the scene. These are referred to as ASSOCIATIVE FACTORS.

Accepted Answer

Associative factors, which include information and evidence gathered from the scene such as witness statements, last known activities of the deceased, and environmental conditions, play a crucial role in making the most effective and practical estimates of times of death. They provide context that can significantly refine the accuracy of the estimation.

Question 7

If the body is warm to the touch, death occurred a few hours earlier. If the body is cold and clammy, the death may have occurred 18 to 24 hours earlier.

Accepted Answer

The warmth of a body can indicate that death occurred recently, as the body cools down after death. A cold and clammy body suggests a longer time since death, typically 18 to 24 hours, as the body has had time to lose heat.

Question 8

Identical twins share the same DNA. They are genetic duplicates in that their chromosomes are identical.

Accepted Answer

Identical twins originate from the same fertilized egg that splits into two, leading them to share the same genetic material and thus have identical chromosomes.

Question 9

SUICIDE-BY-COP is a police colloquialism used to describe incidents in which individuals, bent
on self-destruction, engage in life-threatening and criminal behavior in order to force the police to kill them.

Accepted Answer

Suicide-by-cop refers to situations where individuals deliberately provoke law enforcement officers into using lethal force against them, often through threatening behavior or posing an apparent danger, with the intent of being killed as a result.

Question 10

A stab wound is deeper than it is wide and is often associated with internal bleeding.

Accepted Answer

A stab wound is typically deeper than it is wide because it is caused by a sharp object penetrating the skin and underlying tissues, often leading to internal bleeding due to the depth of penetration and damage to internal organs or blood vessels.

Question 11

The PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY is a collaborative procedure involving law enforcement and
mental health experts who attempt to determine the state-of-mind of a person prior to the fatal act.

Accepted Answer

A psychological autopsy is a procedure that involves collaboration between law enforcement and mental health professionals to understand the mental state of an individual before their death, particularly in cases of suicide or ambiguous deaths, to determine their intentions and state of mind.

Question 12

Cadaveric spasm is instantaneous rigor mortis.

Accepted Answer

Cadaveric spasm is a temporary stiffening of the muscles that occurs immediately after death. It is caused by the release of calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which triggers the formation of cross-bridges between actin and myosin filaments. Rigor mortis is a more permanent stiffening of the muscles that occurs several hours after death. It is caused by the breakdown of ATP, which leads to the loss of calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the formation of permanent cross-bridges between actin and myosin filaments.

Question 13

Another practical and effective method of determining time of death during the early stages is to judge the LOSS OF BODY HEAT. A method recommended by Practical Homicide Investigation, is to place a rubber gloved hand upon some protected portion of the body, as under the armpit.

Accepted Answer

The loss of body heat, or algor mortis, is a method used in forensic science to estimate the time of death by measuring the body's temperature decrease. The technique described, involving placing a hand under the armpit, is a practical approach to assess body warmth and thus estimate how long a person has been deceased.

Question 14

A contact wound structure is an exception to the general configuration of entrance and exit wound structures.

Accepted Answer

A contact wound is an exception because it is caused by a firearm discharged while in direct contact with the body, often creating a stellate or irregular entrance wound and may not have an exit wound, differing from the typical round entrance and potentially larger exit wounds seen with non-contact firearm injuries.

Question 15

An entrance wound is generally smaller than an exit wound.

Accepted Answer

Entrance wounds are typically smaller and have clean edges because the bullet is entering the body at its narrowest point, whereas exit wounds are larger due to the bullet slowing down and tumbling, causing more extensive tissue damage as it exits.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a conclusive sign of death?

Accepted Answer

Breath stoppage is not a conclusive sign of death as it can be temporary or reversible in cases such as drowning or cardiac arrest, unlike rigor mortis, lividity, and putrefaction which are definitive signs of death.

Question 17

A forensic entomologist can be helpful in making determinations of time factors in connection with an evaluation of insect larvae and maggots found on or near a dead human body.

Accepted Answer

Forensic entomologists study the types and development stages of insects found on or near decomposing bodies to estimate the time of death, making them valuable in criminal investigations.

Question 18

Gastrointestinal tract contents are the same as stomach contents.

Accepted Answer

The gastrointestinal tract includes the stomach but also other organs such as the esophagus, small intestine, and large intestine, each containing different contents and playing different roles in digestion.

Question 19

Tattooing or stippling is caused by hemorrhages due to the discharge of burning powder. These
marks cannot be wiped off the skin.

Accepted Answer

Tattooing or stippling is caused by the embedding of gunpowder particles or other debris into the skin due to a close-range gunshot, and these marks cannot be wiped off because they are embedded into the skin.

Question 20

Rigor Mortis is the most effective gauge utilized in making a Determination of Time of Death.

Accepted Answer

Rigor mortis is not the most effective gauge for determining time of death due to its variability based on numerous factors such as ambient temperature, the physical condition of the deceased, and other environmental conditions. More accurate methods include body temperature analysis (algor mortis) and chemical changes in the body.

Quiz 1:Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques