Dictionary of Terms

adorelo

adorelo

CSI Level Two
OK, we have been talking about this for a while so I thought I'd start. Add your own definitions if you can. We could composite a good list if we all put in. It won't be in alphabetical order, but people could do a search.


Accelerant - A substance that is used to create, speed up and direct the spread of a fire. The most commonly used liquid accelerants include gasoline, lighter fluid, and turpentine. Kerosene is also often used.

Adipocere - A waxy substance produced during the decomposition of bodies buried in moist places. It consists principally of the insoluble salts of fatty acids. It is mainly composed of oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids.

Aspermia - The absence of sperm after a sexual act.(Sterility in males)
 
Autopsy - The internal examination of a body after death. It is performed to confirm or determine a cause of death.

Autorad- Common term for "Autoradiograph," the final product in a DNA analysis. Autorads look like bar-codes. They are formed by the reaction of electricity with genetic material (often DNA). This reaction is unique to each sample of genetic material which means it is vital in identifications. The reaction takes place on a nylon membrane and is photographed on X ray film to produce the 'bar-code' like reading.


Keep 'em coming guys. They don't have to be alphabetized.
 
I thing the the forum is pretty much dead ... sadly ... but lets try and revive it up ...

Aorta : main artery. Lethal if cut
 
thegluups said:
I thing the the forum is pretty much dead ... sadly ... but lets try and revive it up ...

Aorta : main artery. Lethal if cut
Click to expand...

Certainly not dead since you're still posting. ;) However, do feel free to post forensic related material in the forum. ;)
 
(Agreed! Let's get this forum going!)

Abrasion - An injury to the skin that removes the epithelial layer.

Acid Phosphate Test - A test using 2 substances to reveal the presence of semen by the appearance of a purple colouring.


AFIS - Automated Fingerprint Identification System, a database used for storing and comparing latent prints.

Algor mortis - The cooling off of the body post mortem.
 
Right, let's talk blood.

Blood Spatter - The impact of spilled blood on surfaces. The pattern of the impact can provide vital information about the source of the blood such as the size and type of wounds, the direction and speed with which the perpetrator or victim was moving, and the type of weapons used to create the wound.

Blood Volume Test and Bloodstain
Interpretation Tests designed to show the quantity of blood shed in a particular area. Also designed to show how much blood was shed to create a given stain and the amount of time needed to create that stain. The interpretation of size, shape, orientation, and distribution of bloodstains can come from this analysis.

Cast-off Blood Blood that travels from a source due to the movement of that source (be that weapon or victim). A bleeding person will cast-off blood, as will a weapon or other item that is in movement.

Oh, and I was thinking, if people want the definition of a term, post a request and we will try to answer.
 
That's really useful Jools, thanks. Could also go in the 'forensics websites' section as well, if you'd like.

Cause of Death (COD) Any injury or disease that results in trauma to the body and leads to death. Medical Examiners and/or Coroners will make the determination of cause, either at the scene or during a subsequent autopsy. If the cause of death is obvious, an autopsy will often not occur unless foul play or criminal activity is suspected.

Bullet Track The path of a bullet or projectile as it passes through any matter.


Caliber The diameter of the bore of a rifled firearm, usually expressed in hundredths of an inch ( E.G: '.45 claliber' is equal to 0.45 of an inch ).
 
Arthritis - A medical condition affecting a joint or joints, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition that can result in weakness, loss of mobility, and eventual destruction and deformity of the joints. Osteoarthritis (also called degenerative joint disease) usually affects people after middle age and is characterized by gradual loss of cartilage of the joints.

Asphyxiation - A medical term for suffocation, which leads to lack of oxygen in the blood.

Asymmetric - Not similar in size, shape, form or arrangement of parts on opposite sides of a line, point or plane.
 
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