Forensics and the Criminal Justice System
Jacob Silva
Carla Litzell
Forensic Science
January 8th, 2015
Review and Critical Thinking Questions
1. What is forensic science?
Forensic Science is the examination of criminal evidence for the criminal justice system in order to successfully prosecute a criminal.
2. What three tasks or responsibilities does a forensic scientist have?
Forensic scientists have three primary roles; collecting and analyzing evidence, providing an expert testimony, and training others on how to carry out the two previous responsibilities.
3. What criteria might be used to establish someone as an expert witness?
Courts will typically take into consideration one’s schooling, their years of experience, and their authored books in order to deem them an expert in a particular field.
4. What are two of the ways that a forensic pathologist might use to help determine the time of death?
A forensic pathologist will perform an autopsy and take tissue, blood, and urine samples in order to determine death, or even discover the stage of decomposition (rigor mortis, liver mortis, or algor mortis).
5. What does a forensic anthropologist do?
A forensic anthropologist uses bones to determine the age, sex, time and cause of death of an individual.
6. Why do you think it is so important to use proper methods when collecting evidence from a crime scene?
In order to provide a proper analysis and provide the criminal justice system with this correct analysis, proper methods carried out, and the assurance of no cross contamination of evidence should be on the top of one’s list of priorities. This would prevent malpractice and negligence as well as assure that justice is carried out.
7. Why do you think forensic science has been increasingly used by the criminal justice system?
Forensics has been more precise and has provided better evidence to prosecute the correct individual for the correct crime. With that being said, it is the most beneficial to the criminal justice system and provides the most correct
Carla Litzell
Forensic Science
January 8th, 2015
Review and Critical Thinking Questions
1. What is forensic science?
Forensic Science is the examination of criminal evidence for the criminal justice system in order to successfully prosecute a criminal.
2. What three tasks or responsibilities does a forensic scientist have?
Forensic scientists have three primary roles; collecting and analyzing evidence, providing an expert testimony, and training others on how to carry out the two previous responsibilities.
3. What criteria might be used to establish someone as an expert witness?
Courts will typically take into consideration one’s schooling, their years of experience, and their authored books in order to deem them an expert in a particular field.
4. What are two of the ways that a forensic pathologist might use to help determine the time of death?
A forensic pathologist will perform an autopsy and take tissue, blood, and urine samples in order to determine death, or even discover the stage of decomposition (rigor mortis, liver mortis, or algor mortis).
5. What does a forensic anthropologist do?
A forensic anthropologist uses bones to determine the age, sex, time and cause of death of an individual.
6. Why do you think it is so important to use proper methods when collecting evidence from a crime scene?
In order to provide a proper analysis and provide the criminal justice system with this correct analysis, proper methods carried out, and the assurance of no cross contamination of evidence should be on the top of one’s list of priorities. This would prevent malpractice and negligence as well as assure that justice is carried out.
7. Why do you think forensic science has been increasingly used by the criminal justice system?
Forensics has been more precise and has provided better evidence to prosecute the correct individual for the correct crime. With that being said, it is the most beneficial to the criminal justice system and provides the most correct