Ten questions on forensic method, each stating the limits of the technique as well as its use.
Forensic science is far more cautious in practice than its screen version suggests, and the caution is the important part. This quiz covers the main disciplines and what each can actually demonstrate, along with the procedural rules that decide whether evidence survives challenge in court. It concerns method rather than particular cases. The explanations state limitations explicitly, since overconfidence in forensic evidence has produced documented wrongful convictions.
Every question in this quiz is listed below with its correct answer and the reasoning behind it. Play first if you would rather not see the answers — or read through as a study sheet.
Play it insteadAnswer: A. The application of scientific methods to legal questions
Why: Forensic science covers any scientific discipline applied to matters of law. Its findings inform investigations but are assessed alongside all other evidence.
Answer: D. Highly distinctive and stable over a lifetime
Why: Ridge patterns are highly distinctive and remain stable barring deep injury. Recovery quality varies enormously with surface and conditions.
Answer: D. Alec Jeffreys
Why: Jeffreys developed the technique at Leicester in 1984. It was first used to clear an innocent suspect before it secured a conviction.
Answer: D. That evidence is accounted for and unaltered from collection to court
Why: Every transfer and storage step is documented. A gap in the record can render otherwise sound evidence inadmissible.
Answer: D. Drugs, alcohol and poisons in biological samples
Why: Toxicologists analyse blood, urine and tissue for substances and their breakdown products. Timing matters, since many substances clear quickly.
Answer: C. Firearms, ammunition and projectile behaviour
Why: Examiners compare marks left on bullets and casings by a specific weapon. The discipline's reliability has faced significant scrutiny in recent years.
Answer: C. Hairs, fibres and small particles
Why: Trace evidence is material transferred during contact, often microscopic. It usually indicates possible contact rather than proving identity.
Answer: D. The cause and circumstances of death
Why: A forensic pathologist examines the body to establish cause and manner of death. Findings can be inconclusive, particularly after long intervals.
Answer: D. Facilitating cooperation between national police forces
Why: Interpol shares information and issues notices but has no officers who make arrests. Enforcement remains with national authorities.
Answer: A. The reason a person might commit an offence
Why: Motive can help explain a case but is not usually a required element of proof. Prosecutions generally turn on establishing the act and the intent.
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