FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY

1. The major contribution of forensic entomology to death investigation is:

a. determination of the cause of death

b. determination of the PMI

c. determination of the manner of death

d. determination of the presence of drugs in the victim

2. The first insects to reach a body in the outdoors are generally:

a. spiders

b. carrion beetles

c. blow flies

d. centipedes

3. Insect activity is useful in which of the following situations:

a. abuse or neglect of the elderly

b. presence of drugs or poisons in the body

c. linking of suspects to a crime

d. determination of PMI

e. all of the above

4. Insect evidence is often neglected by crime scene investigators because:

a. it is disturbing to many people

b. the evidence is unreliable and entomologists can only estimate the PMI from insect

evidence

c. insects only attack a body that has been deposited outdoors

 d. entomology is useless if the body has been buried

e. the PMI cannot be estimated in very cold weather

5. The proper order of the fly's life cycle is:

a. egg, maggot, pupa

b. egg, pupae, maggot

c. instars one, two, three, maggot pupa

d. egg, instar three, maggot, pupa

6. which of the following is not a role that arthropods play in the decomposition of a body?

a. omnivore

b. instar

c. predator

d. necrophage

7. Which of the following is the correct order of decomposition stages of a body?

a. fresh, bloated dry, decay

b. bloated, dry, decay, fresh

c. fresh, dry, decay, bloated

d. fresh, bloated, decay, dry

8. Which of the following is not a factor that affects decomposition of a body and insect

activity?

a. cold

b. wind

c. rain
 d. embalming fluid

e. all the above are factors

TRUE OR FALSE.

1. The only application of forensic entomology s determination of the PMI.

false.

2. Urban entomology involves that analysis of the presence of arthropods in homes and

businesses.

true.

3. Forensic anthropology can be used to link a suspect to a crime scene.

true.

4. The life cycle of a fly will slow down in very cold weather.

true.

5. The blowfly is usually the first insect that will discover a dead body.

true.

6. Insect evidence is often treated as a nuisance by investigators and pathologists.

true.

7. If temperatures are moderate, a forensic entomologist can determine a PMI to within one

hour of death.

false.

8. Fly larvae go through four instars before becoming adults.

false.

9. Some arthropods such as spiders will actually move into a corpse for a time and make it

their home. true.

 Instar -------------- developmental stage of a fly

Omnivore insect---------- eats other insects as well as flesh

Insecticide-----------------chemical that retards insect activity

Bloated stage----------------a stage of decomposition

Maggot--------------------fly larva

10. What contributions can forensic entomology make in the investigation of death?

The major contribution is to help determine the PMI in cases where insects have attacked

a corpse. It can also be used to help determine if a drug or poison is in the body. It may

also be used to help determine the cause of death in certain cases.

11. How do forensic entomologists determine the postmortem interval? What time frames are

involved?

The time frames range from hours to a few weeks. They examine which insects have

invaded a body and laid eggs, and the developmental stages of the larvae and pupae.

These successions and life cycles take place during particular intervals although the

weather and environment must be accounted for.

12. How does insect behavior help pinpoint the locations of wounds on a body?

When a corpse is exposed to the environment, certain insects will come and lay eggs.

These will hatch at particular time intervals. Other insects come later and lay eggs or

feed on the eggs of other insects or the insect themselves. All of these events happen at
 particular time intervals, thus enabling the forensic entomologist to estimate the

postmortem interval.

BALLISTICS

13. Rifling of a barrel refers to

a. The grooves made in the barrel

b. The stria in the barrel

c. The lands and grooves in the barrel

d. The firing pin impression

14. Which marking will not be found on a cartridge casing fired from a revolver?

a. Lands

b. Extractor markings

c. Firing pin impressions

d. Breech face markings

15. Which of the following is a class characteristic of a fired bullet or cartridge casing?

a. Number of lands and grooves

b. Ejector markings

c. Breech face markings

d. Bullet striations

16. Which of the following is true of distance-of-firing determinations of shotguns?

a. Distance of firing cannot be determined with shotguns

 b. When a human being is the target, distance-of-firing determinations are easy because

all of the pellets usually hit the target

c. Intermediate targets have no effect on distance-of-firing determinations

d. The same weapon and ammunition must be used to determine the distance of firing

17. Which of the following is true about the stria in a barrel of a gun?

a. They are present in all weapons

b. They are class characteristics

c. They never change as the weapon is fired repeatedly

d. They are initially made by the tool that makes the barrel

18. The major propellant used in firearms today is...?

a. Smokeless powder

b. Sodium azide

c. Black powder

d. Mercury fulminate

19. Which of the following is not a rifled weapon?

a. Pistol

b. Shotgun

c. Machine gun

d. Submachine gun

20. Today, "caliber" is defined in the United States as...?

a. The diameter of the base of the cartridge in thousandths of inches

b. The distance from the top of opposite lands in the barrel

c. The distance from the bottom of opposite grooves in the barrel

 d. The length of the bullet in inches

21. Which of the following is true about serial number restoration?

a. Serial numbers can be restored on any surface

b. The metal below a stamped serial number is denser than the surrounding metal, making

it slower to dissolve in an etching solution

c. The metal below a stamped serial number is strained, making it faster to dissolve in an

etching solution than the surrounding metal

d. Once restored, serial numbers remain visible permanently

22. In the Sacco-Vanzetti case discussed at the beginning of the chapter, the jury based its

guilty finding mainly on?

a. The matching striations on the bullets to Sacco’s gun as determined by a firearms

examiner

b. The fact that the type of ammunition used in the killings was very rare and only the

defendants had any of it

c. The fact that all of the firearm’s examiners for the defense and prosecution agreed that

the bullets taken from the dead guard matched Sacco’s weapon

d. Sacco’s admission of guilt on the stand in his trial

23. Determining the path of a bullet is considered to be part of the study of...?

a. Trajectories

b. Firearms identification

c. Ballistics

d. Toolmark identification

24. Which of the following weapons does not have rifling in the barrel?
 a. Revolver

b. Shotgun

c. Pistol

d. Handgun

25. When a manufacturer rifles a barrel of a gun, it uses a broach tool to cut grooves into the

metal barrel. true

26. Once a toolmark has been impressed upon a surface, the tool making the mark never

changes. False

27. If a perpetrator sands down a serial number to the point where it is no longer visible, it is

beyond the point of restoration. false

28. Chamber marks on cartridge cases are considered individual characteristics. true

29. Stippling on a surface is caused by metal shavings exiting a gun barrel. true

30. Chemicals dissolve the unstamped area of a metal more rapidly than the stamped area,

causing obliterated serial numbers to appear. true

31. Extractor marks, breech-face marks, striations, and serial numbers are all examples of

toolmarks. true

The powder that leaves the barrel of the gun. gunshot residue

A metal block that holds a cartridge case in place. breech

A metal device that grips a cartridge after firing. extractor

A metal device that ousts the cartridge after firing. ejector

A pressure activated explosive mixture in a gun. primer

1. The hook cutter rifling method is still used today.

True/False

2. Two elements detected on the hands of an individual who has recently fired a weapon

are:

A. Barium and nitrates.

B. Antimony and barium.

C. Zinc and copper.

D. Antimony and iron.

3. An imprint may be lifted from a surface at a crime scene using:

A. Luminol.

B. An electrostatic lifting device.

C. Plaster of paris.

D. Imido black dye.

4. The automated shoe print identification system is known as:

A. IBIS.

B. SICAR.

C. ATF.

D. NIBIN.

5. As the distance to the target of a shotgun blast decreases, the pellets separate and spread

out.

True/False

6. Which of the following factors is least likely to be considered by the examining tool mark

technician?
 A. The brand name of the tool

B. The side or portion of the tool making the impression

C. The direction of the tool movement as it passes over the surface

D. The angle at which the tool was held

7. A weapon recovered from underwater should be transported to the laboratory in a

receptacle containing enough of the same water in which it was found to keep it

submerged.

True/False

8. A compound microscope permits the user to view two separate specimens side-by-side.

True/False

9. Discharged evidence bullets must be carefully handled to avoid damage to the:

A. Ejection pattern.

B. Striation markings.

C. Manufacturer's imprint.

D. Caliber markings.

10. Shoe and tire marks impressed into soft earth can be best preserved by:

A. Photographing and then use of the electrostatic lifting technique.

B. Casting with dental stone and then attempting the electrostatic lift technique.

C. Photographing and casting with dental stone.

D. Both A and B

11. Gun powder residue patterns can be detected by:

A. The Greiss Test.

B. IR photograph.
 C. Both A and B

D. Neither A nor B

12. Shotgun shells are not impressed with any characteristic markings that can be used to

compare two shotgun shells to determine if they were fired from the same weapon.

True/False

13. The number of lands and grooves and the width and direction of twist are individual

characteristics of a rifled barrel.

True/False

14. Two-dimensional imprints found at a crime scene can be lifted using:

A. A silicone casting medium.

B. Photographic paper.

C. A scanning electron lifter.

D. An electrostatic lifting device.

15. Which of the following procedures is not to be followed in collecting and packaging

firearms evidence at the crime scene?

A. Marking an empty cartridge case on its base for identification

B. Unloading a weapon before shipping it to the crime laboratory

C. Avoiding inserting a stick or pencil into the barrel of a weapon

D. Marking a fired bullet on its base for identification

16. To prevent the disturbance of latent fingerprints on a firearm, the weapon should be lifted

by:

A. Using disposable forceps.

B. Inserting a pencil into the barrel.

 C. The outside of the barrel or the trigger.

D. The edge of the trigger guard or by the checkered portion of the grip.

17. The SEM approach for primer residue detection is its enhanced specificity over hand

swabbing.

True/False

18. NIBIN is/are:

A. Trade groups of firearms manufacturers.

B. Lists of licensed gun dealers.

C. Safety education courses for firearm use.

D. A database for firearm evidence.

19. Dust imprints found at a crime scene can be lifted using:

A. An electrostatic lifting device.

B. A scanning electron lifter.

C. A silicone casting medium.

D. Photographic paper.

20. The distribution of gunpowder particles and other discharge residues around a bullet hole

permits:

A. Determination of the distance from which the gun was fired.

B. Estimation of the height of the shooter.

C. Estimation of the angle of bullet impact.

D. Determination of the kind of firearm used.

21. Which of the following is not expected to show any evidential marks or impressions?

A. A fired bullet
 B. A cartridge casing fired from a shotgun

C. A shotgun pellet

D. A cartridge casing fired from a handgun

22. A distance determination can be estimated by measuring the spread of the discharged

shot.

True/False

23. Generally, the gauge of a shotgun is ________ to the diameter of its barrel.

A. Indirectly related

B. Directly related

C. Not related

D. None of the above

24. If the zone of strain has been removed, or if the area has been impressed with a different

strain pattern, the serial number usually can be restored.

True/False

25. Blood enhancement chemicals have been found to negatively impact STR DNA typing

and therefore footwear impressions made with blood are not typically analyzed.

True/False

26. NIBIN makes the final determination about whether or not two bullets were fired by the

same gun.

True/False

27. Distance determination is usually based on the distribution of powder patterns or the

spread of a shot pattern.

 True/False

28. When a gun is recovered from an underwater location, it should be:

A. Submitted to the crime lab in a paper bag.

B. Cleaned and dried.

C. Placed in an air-tight plastic bag.

D. Transported to the crime lab in a container with enough of the same water necessary to

keep it submerged.

29. The parts of a firearm that leave impressions on a cartridge case that constitute class

characteristics of that weapon are the firing pin, the breech face mark, the ejector, and the

extractor.

True/False

30. Which of the following rifling methods is no longer in use?

A. The button method

B. The hook cutter method

C. The broach cutter method

D. The mandrel method

31. The "dermal nitrate test" has fallen into disfavor because of its lack of specificity. Which

of the following common materials does NOT give a misleading positive reaction to this

test?

A. Chocolate

B. Urine
 C. Cosmetics

D. Tobacco

32. The presence of gunpowder residues on a garment whose color conceals the existence of

the residue is best revealed by:

A. Infrared photography.

B. Infrared spectrophotometry.

C. Ultraviolet photography.

D. Color photography.

33. Which is NOT a class characteristic of a suspect's sneaker?

A. Size

B. Wear marks

C. Color

D. Brand

34. A technique applicable for determining whether or not an individual has recently fired a

weapon is:

A. Neutron activation analysis.

B. The scanning electron microscope.

C. Atomic absorption analysis.

D. All of the above

35. The reason grooves are rifled into the bore of a gun is so that a:

A. Bullet moving through will have unique striations.

B. Bullet will be made to spin and have a true and accurate course on leaving the barrel.
 C. Bullet will be reduced in size before it exits the gun.

D. Manufacturer can put its unique mark on its product.

36. Objects bearing tool marks should either be submitted intact to the crime lab or a

________ should be taken of the tool mark.

A. Digital photograph

B. Film photograph

C. Black and white photograph

D. Cast

37. When removal of the original tool mark is impractical, the criminalist photographs the

marked area to scale and makes a cast of the mark.

True/False

38. Which of the following results is not possible from a laboratory examination of firearm

evidence?

A. Restoring serial numbers ground off the gun

B. Identifying a bullet as having been combined with a particular shell prior to being

discharged

C. Determining that two or more cartridge cases were fired from the same weapon

D. Determining how far from the victim the weapon was held

39. Generally speaking, the amount of gun powder particles found around a bullet hole is

________ to the distance from which the weapon was fired.

A. Indirectly related

B. Directly related
 C. Not related

D. None of the above

40. Unlike handguns, a shotgun is not rifled.

True/False

41. NIBIN is the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, a unified firearms

search system that incorporates both DRUGFIRE and IBIS technologies.

True/False

42. When an etching agent is applied to a metal surface in order to restore a removed serial

number the stamped area will dissolve at ________ as the unstamped area.

A. A slower rate

B. The same rate

C. A greater rate

D. None of the above

43. It is acceptable to pick up a firearm by inserting an object into its barrel.

True/False

44. Caliber is a measure of the diameter of the bore of a rifled firearm.

True/False

45. A wear pattern, cut, gouge, or other damage pattern can impart ________ characteristics

to a shoe.

A. Class

B. Generic

C. Individual

D. Wear
46. Distinctive markings of shells and cartridges can be made by the:

A. Breech face mark.

B. Firing pin.

C. Extractor and ejector mechanism.

D. All of the above

47. Which of the following statements is true?

A. The diameter of the bore of a rifled firearm is its gauge.

B. The comparison microscope is an indispensable tool of the firearm examiner.

C. A bullet can be individualized to a weapon by the number and twist of its lands and

grooves.

D. Carbonaceous smoke or soot deposited around a bullet hole is normally indicative of a

discharge 12 to 18 feet or less from the target.

48. Which technique of detecting GSR holds the most promise for the immediate future?

A. Neutron activation analysis

B. SEM primer residue detection

C. Dermal nitrate test

D. Infrared spectroscopy

49. The barrel of a shotgun:

A. Is wider at the end to concentrate shot.

B. Is smooth without the grooves and lands found in rifles.

C. Is indistinguishable from that of a rifle.

D. Is generally shorter than that of a rifle.

50. The comparison of two bullets is possible with the comparison microscope. Such a study

is made difficult by the fact that:

A. Lands and grooves are subject to wear and tear and hence striations markings are

susceptible to continuing change.

B. Often evidence bullets are distorted on impact and only small areas are found with

intact markings.

C. The presence of grit and rust can to some degree alter the markings on bullets fired

through the same barrel.

D. All of the above

51. Which of the following makes the final determination about whether or not two bullets

were fired by the same gun?

A. IBIS

B. A trained firearms examiner

C. NIBIN

D. A comparison microscope

52. Chokes are sometimes found on shotguns where they function to constrict the end of the

barrel. The speed and distance traveled by pellets fired from a narrow choke is ________

the speed and distance traveled by pellets fired from a shotgun with a wide choke.

A. The same as

B. Greater than

C. Less than

D. None of the above

53. The likelihood of detecting GSR on swabs taken from living subjects more than six hours

after a firing has occurred is ________ the likelihood of detecting GSR within two hours

of a firing.

A. Less than

B. The same as

C. Greater than

D. None of the above

54. Tools and tool marks are often found at burglary scenes and can be useful evidence.

Proper evidence collection by the field investigator would include:

A. Taking a photograph and cast of the marks if necessary.

B. Reporting whether a tool found at the crime scene fit into the tool marks.

C. Making test marks with the suspected tool onto a soft metal surface at the crime scene.

D. Packing of tool and tool mark evidence together so that the crime lab personnel know

they are thought to be a matched set.

55. Shortly after a weapon is fired, residues are most likely to be deposited on the thumb web

and the back of the firing hand of a shooter.

True/False

56. Two procedures used to preserve impressions that can be submitted to the laboratory are

lifting and casting.

True/False