Practice Test Geeks(CSI) Crime Scene Investigator Practice Test
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Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Flashcards

7 cards from real CSI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Legal and Ethical Responsibilities flashcards as text

  1. A CSI is subpoenaed to hand over personal notes from a case. These notes contain observations not included in the official report. What typically happens to these notes?

    Answer: Personal notes may be discoverable if they relate to the case and were used to form opinions

    Work-product notes used to form official opinions may be discoverable under Brady v. Maryland and applicable rules of criminal procedure.

  2. Which federal law primarily governs the handling of biological evidence and requires law enforcement to preserve DNA evidence post-conviction?

    Answer: Justice for All Act

    The Justice for All Act (2004) mandates preservation of biological evidence used in federal criminal proceedings to support post-conviction DNA testing.

  3. A CSI inadvertently contaminates a piece of evidence. What is the correct ethical and legal response?

    Answer: Document the contamination fully and report it immediately to the supervisor

    Full documentation and immediate reporting of contamination is the only ethical response; concealment or substitution constitutes evidence tampering.

  4. A crime scene is located on tribal land. What is the primary legal consideration that affects jurisdiction and evidence protocols?

    Answer: Tribal sovereignty may affect which agencies have investigative authority and which laws apply

    Tribal sovereignty creates complex jurisdictional questions governed by treaties, federal law (especially the Major Crimes Act), and tribal law.

  5. What is the significance of the Daubert standard for CSI testimony?

    Answer: It requires that expert scientific testimony be based on reliable, peer-reviewed methodology

    The Daubert standard requires federal courts to act as gatekeepers, ensuring expert testimony is based on scientifically valid and reliably applied methodology.

  6. A CSI notices that a defense attorney is attempting to photograph evidence before it has been properly documented by the investigation team. What should the CSI do?

    Answer: Immediately stop the photography and notify the supervising officer

    Unauthorized access to undocumented evidence can compromise chain of custody; the supervising officer must be notified immediately to address the situation.

  7. Which ethical concept requires a CSI to acknowledge the limitations of their own expertise and refrain from offering opinions outside their qualified area?

    Answer: Scope of competence

    Scope of competence requires professionals to recognize and respect the boundaries of their expertise, avoiding overreach that could mislead courts.