FLORIDA BASIC RECRUIT TRAINING
PROGRAM LAW ENFORCEMENT CH 9
CRIME SCENE QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS
Admissibility of evidence - ANSWERRefers to the legal requirements you must meet
before a jury can see or hear about the evidence.
Chain of custody - ANSWERDocument everyone who handled the evidence as well as
when, why, and what changes, if any, were made to it.
Crime scene log - ANSWERA document that details the name, rank, and agency of
each person entering or leaving the scene, the date and time of the person s entry or
exit, and the reason the person was at the scene.
Direct evidence - ANSWERProves a fact without an inference or presumption and
which, if true in itself, conclusively establishes that fact.
Documentary evidence - ANSWERAnything written or printed that is offered to prove or
disprove facts pertaining to the case
Elimination prints - ANSWERAllow fingerprint analysts to distinguish between prints
belonging to either the victims and witnesses, or the possible suspects.
Evidence - ANSWERAnything that tends to prove or disprove the existence of a fact.
Eyewitness - ANSWERA person who can identify another person by sight as someone
involved in a criminal proceeding.
Field contact - ANSWERAny person you have contact with while on patrol such as a
concerned resident or an anonymous complainant who does not necessarily generate
an incident report.
Fruits of a crime - ANSWERThe objects obtained by the defendant because of
committing the crime. An example is money stolen by a bank robber.
Grid - ANSWEROften used indoors, this is a variation of the strip / line search pattern.
Searchers overlap a series of lanes in a cross pattern, making the search more
methodical and thorough.
Indirect or circumstantial evidence - ANSWERRequires an inference or presumption to
establish a fact.
,Instrumentalities - ANSWERThe items used by the defendant to commit the crime.
Latent prints - ANSWERAlthough generally invisible to the naked eye, these result from
body residues left behind when the friction ridges of the hands or feet make contact with
a surface.
Live lineup - ANSWERA procedure that displays a group of people to a victim or
eyewitness so they can identify the perpetrator of a crime and eliminate any suspects.
Modus operandi - ANSWERMeaning mode of operating or MO, refers to how someone
does something, usually repetitive in nature.
Patent prints - ANSWERA foreign substance, like wet paint, blood, grease, ink, or dirt,
transfers and makes these readily visible which form from the friction ridges or
corrugated lines on fingers.
Photo array - ANSWERA selection of photographs compiled to show to a victim or
eyewitness in a non suggestive manner for identifying a suspect.
Photo lineup - ANSWERA procedure that displays a photo array to a victim or
eyewitness so they can identify the perpetrator of a crime and eliminate any suspects.
Physical or real evidence - ANSWERRefers to actual objects offered to prove or
disprove facts about a case.
Plastic print - ANSWERA molded or embedded fingerprint created by touching an
impressionable surface, such as fresh paint, wax, bar of soap, or mud that you can
easily see.
Rule of sequestration - ANSWERForbids anyone who will testify from discussing any
aspect of a case with anyone but the involved attorneys.
Scale or Identifier - ANSWERPhotograph with the evidence to establish the original
positions and draw attention to relevant objects or evidence. Most agencies provide
rulers or cards with rulers on them. Other examples of this are Miranda cards, dollar
bills, or coins.
Showup - ANSWEROccurs during the same time or soon after the incident occurred
and near the incident or crime scene.
Spiral - ANSWERUsually used outdoors by one person. The searcher begins at a
certain point and walks in increasingly larger circles to the outermost boundary of the
search area.
, Strip or line - ANSWERUsually used outdoors by several people. Divide the search area
into lanes. Have one or more people search each lane by moving in both directions,
examining all areas.
Testimonial evidence - ANSWERA witness statement that tends to prove or disprove
facts about the case.
Zone or quadrant - ANSWERUsed for vehicle searches, both indoors and outdoors, or a
large area. Divide the area into four different sections and search each area using one
of the patterns above.
location, a person, a place, or an object - ANSWERA crime scene can be a
__________________________________ associated with criminal behaviors.
correct and timely - ANSWERMaking sure that evidence is collected in
a________________ way helps officers understand what happened at the crime scene.
The Florida Evidence Code, - ANSWERThis found in chapter 90 of the Florida Statutes,
provides the basic concepts and rules of evidence that may be used in a criminal or civil
proceeding.
effect produced - ANSWERThere is a legal distinction between evidence and proof.
Evidence is information that is allowed in court, while proof is the _________________
by that information.
Evidence has three basic functions when offered in court - ANSWER- to prove or
disprove a crime
- to support or undermine other evidence
- to help determine an appropriate sentence
Two types of Evidence - ANSWERdirect and Indirect (circumstantial)
criminal cases - ANSWERContrary to the speeches given by criminal defense lawyers
on television, the basis for most ______________ is primarily circumstantial evidence.
less reliable - ANSWERTestimonial evidence is generally _____________ than physical
evidence, because people perceive events differently, do not remember accurately, or
lie.
false results - ANSWERWhen you correctly identify, protect, collect, preserve, transport,
and analyze physical evidence, it cannot deliver _____________.
crucial - ANSWERPhysical or real evidence is __________ for the prosecutor, because
it gives the jury something to touch and take back to the jury room while they conduct
deliberations.
PROGRAM LAW ENFORCEMENT CH 9
CRIME SCENE QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS
Admissibility of evidence - ANSWERRefers to the legal requirements you must meet
before a jury can see or hear about the evidence.
Chain of custody - ANSWERDocument everyone who handled the evidence as well as
when, why, and what changes, if any, were made to it.
Crime scene log - ANSWERA document that details the name, rank, and agency of
each person entering or leaving the scene, the date and time of the person s entry or
exit, and the reason the person was at the scene.
Direct evidence - ANSWERProves a fact without an inference or presumption and
which, if true in itself, conclusively establishes that fact.
Documentary evidence - ANSWERAnything written or printed that is offered to prove or
disprove facts pertaining to the case
Elimination prints - ANSWERAllow fingerprint analysts to distinguish between prints
belonging to either the victims and witnesses, or the possible suspects.
Evidence - ANSWERAnything that tends to prove or disprove the existence of a fact.
Eyewitness - ANSWERA person who can identify another person by sight as someone
involved in a criminal proceeding.
Field contact - ANSWERAny person you have contact with while on patrol such as a
concerned resident or an anonymous complainant who does not necessarily generate
an incident report.
Fruits of a crime - ANSWERThe objects obtained by the defendant because of
committing the crime. An example is money stolen by a bank robber.
Grid - ANSWEROften used indoors, this is a variation of the strip / line search pattern.
Searchers overlap a series of lanes in a cross pattern, making the search more
methodical and thorough.
Indirect or circumstantial evidence - ANSWERRequires an inference or presumption to
establish a fact.
,Instrumentalities - ANSWERThe items used by the defendant to commit the crime.
Latent prints - ANSWERAlthough generally invisible to the naked eye, these result from
body residues left behind when the friction ridges of the hands or feet make contact with
a surface.
Live lineup - ANSWERA procedure that displays a group of people to a victim or
eyewitness so they can identify the perpetrator of a crime and eliminate any suspects.
Modus operandi - ANSWERMeaning mode of operating or MO, refers to how someone
does something, usually repetitive in nature.
Patent prints - ANSWERA foreign substance, like wet paint, blood, grease, ink, or dirt,
transfers and makes these readily visible which form from the friction ridges or
corrugated lines on fingers.
Photo array - ANSWERA selection of photographs compiled to show to a victim or
eyewitness in a non suggestive manner for identifying a suspect.
Photo lineup - ANSWERA procedure that displays a photo array to a victim or
eyewitness so they can identify the perpetrator of a crime and eliminate any suspects.
Physical or real evidence - ANSWERRefers to actual objects offered to prove or
disprove facts about a case.
Plastic print - ANSWERA molded or embedded fingerprint created by touching an
impressionable surface, such as fresh paint, wax, bar of soap, or mud that you can
easily see.
Rule of sequestration - ANSWERForbids anyone who will testify from discussing any
aspect of a case with anyone but the involved attorneys.
Scale or Identifier - ANSWERPhotograph with the evidence to establish the original
positions and draw attention to relevant objects or evidence. Most agencies provide
rulers or cards with rulers on them. Other examples of this are Miranda cards, dollar
bills, or coins.
Showup - ANSWEROccurs during the same time or soon after the incident occurred
and near the incident or crime scene.
Spiral - ANSWERUsually used outdoors by one person. The searcher begins at a
certain point and walks in increasingly larger circles to the outermost boundary of the
search area.
, Strip or line - ANSWERUsually used outdoors by several people. Divide the search area
into lanes. Have one or more people search each lane by moving in both directions,
examining all areas.
Testimonial evidence - ANSWERA witness statement that tends to prove or disprove
facts about the case.
Zone or quadrant - ANSWERUsed for vehicle searches, both indoors and outdoors, or a
large area. Divide the area into four different sections and search each area using one
of the patterns above.
location, a person, a place, or an object - ANSWERA crime scene can be a
__________________________________ associated with criminal behaviors.
correct and timely - ANSWERMaking sure that evidence is collected in
a________________ way helps officers understand what happened at the crime scene.
The Florida Evidence Code, - ANSWERThis found in chapter 90 of the Florida Statutes,
provides the basic concepts and rules of evidence that may be used in a criminal or civil
proceeding.
effect produced - ANSWERThere is a legal distinction between evidence and proof.
Evidence is information that is allowed in court, while proof is the _________________
by that information.
Evidence has three basic functions when offered in court - ANSWER- to prove or
disprove a crime
- to support or undermine other evidence
- to help determine an appropriate sentence
Two types of Evidence - ANSWERdirect and Indirect (circumstantial)
criminal cases - ANSWERContrary to the speeches given by criminal defense lawyers
on television, the basis for most ______________ is primarily circumstantial evidence.
less reliable - ANSWERTestimonial evidence is generally _____________ than physical
evidence, because people perceive events differently, do not remember accurately, or
lie.
false results - ANSWERWhen you correctly identify, protect, collect, preserve, transport,
and analyze physical evidence, it cannot deliver _____________.
crucial - ANSWERPhysical or real evidence is __________ for the prosecutor, because
it gives the jury something to touch and take back to the jury room while they conduct
deliberations.
