CSI CSI - Crime Scene Investigator Firearms and Ballistics Evidence Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What creates the unique striations found on bullets fired through a rifled barrel?
- The lands and grooves of rifling in the barrel (Correct answer)
- Impact with the target
- Primer ignition pressure
- Ejector marks during loading
Correct answer: The lands and grooves of rifling in the barrel
Rifling imparts spiral lands and grooves onto the bullet surface, creating individual marks unique to that specific barrel.
Question 2: What does IBIS stand for in the context of firearms examination?
- International Bullet Identification System
- Integrated Ballistics Identification System (Correct answer)
- Investigative Ballistics Information Service
- Internal Breach Inspection Standard
Correct answer: Integrated Ballistics Identification System
IBIS is a database that stores and compares digital images of ballistic evidence to link firearms and cartridge cases across multiple cases.
Question 3: What type of individual evidence is a spent cartridge case recovered at a shooting scene?
- Class evidence only with no individual value
- Individual evidence that can be matched to a specific firearm (Correct answer)
- Trace evidence with only chemical significance
- Biological evidence requiring DNA analysis
Correct answer: Individual evidence that can be matched to a specific firearm
A fired cartridge case bears unique tool marks from the firearm's firing pin, breech face, extractor, and ejector.
Question 4: When packaging a firearm as evidence, what is the mandatory first step?
- Remove identifying markings for safety
- Unload the weapon and document its condition (Correct answer)
- Immediately place it in a paper bag
- Swab the barrel for DNA analysis
Correct answer: Unload the weapon and document its condition
Officer safety requires unloading the weapon first, followed by thorough documentation of its condition and position.
Question 5: Why would a forensic examiner test-fire a recovered firearm in the laboratory?
- To confirm the firearm is non-functional
- To generate reference bullets and cartridge cases for comparison to crime scene evidence (Correct answer)
- To render the firearm safe for disposal
- To assess the manufacturer's quality control
Correct answer: To generate reference bullets and cartridge cases for comparison to crime scene evidence
Test-fired specimens provide known samples that can be compared microscopically to ballistic evidence recovered at crime scenes.
Question 6: What does the term 'caliber' describe when referring to a firearm?
- The overall length of the barrel
- The internal diameter of the barrel corresponding to ammunition size (Correct answer)
- The number of rounds the magazine holds
- The type of firing mechanism used
Correct answer: The internal diameter of the barrel corresponding to ammunition size
Caliber describes the bore diameter of a firearm barrel and directly corresponds to the size of ammunition it chambers.
CSI CSI - Crime Scene Investigator Firearms and Ballistics Evidence Questions and Answers 1
What creates the unique striations found on bullets fired through a rifled barrel?