^{Please use our textbook for reference of many of these essay questions. Criminalistics: 10th edition: Author: Richard Saferstein The first nine (9) questions are worth 20 points each, but the last question (question #10, with all of its parts), is worth 60 points alone. The maximum total that a student can earn with this exam is 240 points. Again, be SURE to write out each question (it is easy to do, just copy and paste) prior to answering each question. Be sure to answer all parts of the question if there are more than one part (as in #10, which has five parts).}

^{Forensic Science Midterm Exam:}

^{1. Chapter 1: Explain why having an evidence-collection unit process a crime scene instead of a patrol officer or detective may or not be a good idea in a police department/police agency (can be city, state or federal).}

^{2. Chapter 1: From our textbook: What legal issues was raised on appeal by the defense in Carl Coppolino's Florida murder trial? What court ruling is most relevant to the decision to reject the appeal? Explain your answer.}

^{3. Chapter 2: Referring to the case analysis on page 50, what were the main challenges facing investigators who were collecting evidence in the Enrique Camarena case? (as seen on pages 51-53). Give specific examples of these challenges.}

^{4. Chapter 2: Again, from our textbook: Officer Martin Guarjardo is the first responder at an apparent homicide scene. After securing the area, interviewing the sole witness, and calling for backup, he begins to search for evidence. He makes note of a bloody knife lying next to the body, with a small scrap of bloody cloth clinging precariously to the knife. Because it is a very windy day, Officer Guarjardo removes the scrap of fabric and seals it in a plastic bag. A few moments later, a crime scene team, including a photographer, arrives to take over the investigation. What mistakes, if any, did Officer Guarjardo make before the crime-scene team arrived?}

^{5. Chapter 3: Which of the discussed conditions examined during autopsy could help the forensic pathologist determine time since death if the victim expired within 1 or 2 hours of being discovered? Which would be of little or no assistance to this determination? 6. Chapter 3: Referring to the case analysis on page 84 (regarding Fiber Evidence and the Wayne Williams Trial found on pages 85-91: (again, within the 10th edition of Criminalistics by author Saferstein), answer question #2 which begins with: What did investigators hope to learn...}

^{7. Hair and Fiber Chapter: Although we did not spend much time on this subject, please compare and contrast hair/fiber evidence with other forms of physical evidence, (for example blood/DNA evidence). What would an investigator do if no hair or fiber evidence was found at a crime scene?}

^{8. Compare class characteristics with individual characteristics. Give examples of each, along with explaining where you would find each type(s) of evidence on a crime scene.}

^{9. You are a police investigator (officer or detective, your choice) and you are detailed to a report of an armed robbery in which a Cumberland Farms cashier was held at gunpoint, while the gunman demanded that all the cash in the register be turned over to him (the gunman). Upon your arrival, there is NO physical evidence left at the scene... no gun, no fingerprints, or other physical evidence left by the gunman. How will you solve this case? Thoroughly explain. The sky is the limit with whatever resources you need, in order to answer this question.}

^{10. This final question is worth 40 points alone, so make sure you thoroughly answer it. Referring to the following link from USA today:this https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/03/09/cartel-turns-over-5-men-apologizes-after-americans-kidnapped-killed/11435887002/ (From USA Today March 10, 2023 entitled, "}Mexican cartel apologizes for kidnapping, killing Americans, turns over 5 it says responsible"^{as it will give you a general sense and overview of this case. Please research deeper (while providing citations or open source information) to answer the following questions:}

^{10a. Talk about the crime scene. What evidence, physical or otherwise, what left at the crime scene for police to process?}

^{10b. Talk about what was done by investigators to avoid contamination, cross contamination, isolating and securing the crime scene. You may not find all the answers to these topics, but do your best. If you can't find the answers, write about what YOU would have done to avoid these issues, along with how you would have isolated and secured the crime scene. Remember that you are dealing with another country (Mexico) and drug cartels. What was done to properly process the crime scene (initially a kidnapping of at least 4 Americans, later turning into a homicide(s) in which murder(s) was committed);}

^{10c. Talk about the politics involved and how you might have solved this problem (again, if you had the authority and resources to try and solve this);}

^{10d. What was done once the two deceased Americans (their bodies) were turned over to American authorities? If you were assigned to investigate these murders, let's say you took custody of the two deceased Americans once they were transported across the American border? What would you do at that point to continue this investigation to determine cause and manner of death and to determine who committed these crimes?}

^{10e. How could forensic science have helped in this case?}

^{Please make sure you answer all 9 of the first questions and all five (5) parts of question #10. Please separate all paragraphs and separate each answer from the question (reminder to write out each question first, before answering). Remember there is a 5 point reduction for each question for not following these instructions. I can't stress enough to thoroughly answer each question, even though some questions in this exam are short (yet powerful, so they need full explanations!) Don't forget to cite your sources.}