Questions from Crime and Investigation

Q: Police investigating the scene of a sexual assault recover a large blanket

Police investigating the scene of a sexual assault recover a large blanket that they believe may contain useful physical evidence. They take it to the laboratory of forensic serologist Scott Alden, as...

Q: Criminalist Cathy Richards is collecting evidence from the victim of a sexual

Criminalist Cathy Richards is collecting evidence from the victim of a sexual assault. She places a sheet on the floor, asks the victim to disrobe, and places the clothing in a paper bag. After collec...

Q: The following sequence of bases is located on one strand of a

The following sequence of bases is located on one strand of a DNA molecule: C–G–A–A–T–C–G–C–A–A–T–C–G–A–C–C–T–G List the sequence of bases that will form complementary pairs on the other strand of the...

Q: Police discover a badly decomposed body buried in an area where a

Police discover a badly decomposed body buried in an area where a man disappeared some years before. The case was never solved, nor was the victim’s body ever recovered. As the lead investigator, you...

Q: You are a forensic scientist performing DNA typing on a blood sample

You are a forensic scientist performing DNA typing on a blood sample sent to your laboratory. While performing an STR analysis on the sample, you notice a four-peak pattern. What conclusion should you...

Q: A woman reports being mugged by a masked assailant, whom she

A woman reports being mugged by a masked assailant, whom she scratched on the arm during a brief struggle. The victim is not sure whether the attacker was male or female. DNA analysts extract and ampl...

Q: At a crime scene, you encounter each of the following items

At a crime scene, you encounter each of the following items. For each item, indicate the potential sources of DNA. The five possible choices are saliva, skin cells, sweat, blood, and semen.

Q: Indicate which method of heat transfer is most likely to be responsible

Indicate which method of heat transfer is most likely to be responsible for each of the following: a. Ignition of papers in the room where a fire starts b. Ignition of electrical wiring in a room adjo...

Q: It is late August in Houston, Texas, and you are

It is late August in Houston, Texas, and you are investigating a fire that occurred at a facility that stores motor oils and other lubricating oils. A witness points out a man who allegedly ran from t...

Q: Criminalist Mick Mickelson is collecting evidence from a fire scene. He

Criminalist Mick Mickelson is collecting evidence from a fire scene. He gathers about a quart of ash and soot debris from several rooms surrounding the point of origin. He stores the debris in a new,...