This document contains 61 multiple choice questions related to criminology and criminalistics topics such as: - Gunshot wounds and distance determination - Fingerprint patterns and classifications - Autopsy procedures - Ballistics principles - Poisons and toxicology - Lie detection and polygraph techniques The questions cover a wide range of forensic science subdisciplines and are meant to test knowledge for board exam preparation.

1. BOARD EXAM QUESTIONS
FOR CRIMINOLOGIST
CRIMINALISTICS

2. 1. In gunshot wounds, when there is evident
burning of tissues and blackening of the skin, it
maybe ascertained that it is at near contact fire
meaning that the distance of the body to the
gun is approximately,
a. 6 inches
b. 12 inches
c. 18 inches
d. 24 inches
Ans. A

3. 2. When there is a choice between several
deltas and one of which is a bifurcation,
the one to be selected should be the
________.
a. Arch
b. Core
c. Bifurcation
d. Eyelet
Ans.C

4. 3. Can all physicians allowed to conduct
Autopsy?
a. Yes
b. no
c. never
d. False
Ans. B

5. 4. The test used in textile fibers.
a. photography
b. lie detection
c. burning and solubility test
d. comparison microscope
Ans. C

6. 5. Branch of Metallurgy that involves the
microstructures of metals and alloys.
a. Metallography
b. alloygraphy
c. macro etching
d. micro etching
Ans. A

7. 6. Three (3) types of poisons.
a. Organic, Inorganic, Biological
b. Hypnotic, Sedatives, Laxatives
c. Emetics, Biological, Inorganic
d. Organic, Sedatives, Biological
Ans. A

8. 7. Antidote for Arsenic Poisoning.
a. Thiamine
b. Pyridoxine
c. Succimer
d. Fabahistine
Ans. C

9. 8. “ Did you ever steal anything?” is what
kind of questions.
a. Relevant
b. Irrelevant
c. Control
d. General question
Ans. C

10. 10. Two (2) persons who tried to destroy
there fingerprints
a. John Dillenger and Robert James Pitt
b. Tom Dillenger and Brad Pitt
c. John Denver and Robert James Pitt
d. John Denver and Brad Pitt
Ans. A

11. 11. How many fingerprint classification are used
internationally?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
Ans. B

12. 12. The Three (3) fingerprint classifications are;
Arch, Loops, and ________.
a. Tented Arch
b. Accidental Whorl
c. Whorls
d. Ulnar Loop
Ans. C

13. 9. Breaking down of complex proteins into
simpler components associated with foul
smelling gasses and accompanied by
chance in color of the body.
a. Putrefaction
b. Maceration
c. Mummification
d. Marbolization
Ans. A

14. 13. In criminal investigation, when we say “bullet”,
does it includes pellets?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Never
d. Maybe
Ans. A

15. 14. Muzzle velocity of Military firearms.
a. 1,850 fps
b. 1,925 fps
c. 2,500 fps
d. 3,500 – 4,000 fps
Ans. C

16. 15. It refers to the actual curve path of
projectile from the moment it leaves the
gun barrel until it hits the target. (2x
question)
a. Trajectory
b. Velocity
c. Stability
d. Ricochet
Ans. A

17. 16. If smokeless powder was made from gelatinize
nitrocellulose mixed with ether and alcohol,
does Black powder contains charcoal and
sulfur?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Never
d. Maybe
Ans. A

18. 17. These are guns designed to fire only
one shot for every loading. (2x question)
a. Single-shot firearm
b. Bolt action type
c. Repeating firearms
d. Slide action type
Ans. A

19. 18. In gunshot wounds, which is always
greater in appearance?
a. Entrance
b. Exit
c. Contact
d. Close
Ans. B

20. 19. In photography, when we say tripod,
how many stands are there?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
Ans. B

21. 20. Can rigor mortis determine the time of death?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Never
d. Maybe
Ans. A

22. 21. In robbery case. Which is the focus of close up
photography?
a. valuable materials
b. forcible entry
c. disarray furniture’s
d. broken glass
Ans. B

23. 22. In post-mortem lividity, the blood
cannot be transferred even if the body
has been moved to another position
when the blood is defused in the
____________.
a. tissues
b. plasma
c. Outer skin
d. Veins
Ans. A

24. 23. Most common form of asphyxia.
a. Strangulation
b. hanging
c. lynching
d. Garroting
Ans. A

25. 24. A condition in which the supply of oxygen to
the blood has been reduced below working
levels. (5x question)
a. Asphyxia
b. homicide
c.syncope
d. Coma
Ans. A

26. 25. Involuntary divergence of the pen line from
the natural direction in the formation of
letters.
a. Tremor
b. Hiatus
c. Shading
d. loose writing
Ans. B

27. 26. First police surgeon or forensic pathologist who
performed the autopsy of Julius Caesar.
a. Paul Zacchias
b. Antistius
c. Landsteiner
d. Hipocrates
Ans. B

28. 27. How many percent of alcohol is needed to be
considered that a person is intoxicated?
a.0.05%
b. 0.15%
c. 0.15%
d. 1.05%
Ans. A

29. 28. Used to see stains on clothes that are invisible
to a normal light.
a. X-ray
b. Infrared light
c. UV light
d. visible lights
Ans. B

30. 29. A little bit better than idiots.
a. Imbecile
b. Moron
c. Moral defficiency
d. feebleminded
ans. A

31. 30. What is the purpose of getting the plain
impression of the subject?
a. For classification purposes
b. For verification purposes
c. To check the order of the rolled
impression
d. For comparison purposes
Ans. C

32. 31. The poisonous gas that smells like a rotten
egg.
a. Hydrogen sulfide
b. Sulfur dioxide
c. Hydrogen dioxide
d. Hydrochloride
Ans. A

33. 32. A violent volatile poison producing an almond
odor in vomit’s of the victim.
a. Plasma
b. Cyanide
c. Sulfur
d. Lead
Ans. B

34. 33. Another term for Ultra-violet light.
a. White light
b. Red light
c. Black light
d. Roentgen
Ans. C

35. 34. It is an adjustable mechanism that
regulates the amount of light reaching the
film by varying the length of time, and it is
consider as the door of the camera.
a. Lens
b. focusing Ring
c. Shutter
d. Aperture
Ans. C

36. 35. Sequence of sensitivity of the Three (3)
emulsion layers of color film.
a. Blue-Green-Red
b. Red- Green-Blue
c. Green-Red-Blue
d. Blue-Red-Green
Ans. B

37. 36. An instrument used to measure the bore
diameter of a shotgun.
a. Taper gauge
b. Helixometer
c. Microscope
d. Onoscope
Ans. A

38. 37. Covers the surface of the dermis with blunt
peg-like formation.
a. Epidermis
b. Sweat pores
c. Dermal papillae
d. Sweat gland
Ans. C

39. 38. An instrument used to detect alcohol in human
body.
a. Alcotest
b. Drunkometer
c. Breath analyzers
d. Intoximeter
Ans. C

40. 39. The morphological constituents of human hair.
a. Medulla, Cortex, Cuticle
b. Root, Shaft, Tip
c. Anagen, Catagen, Telogen
d. Refracting index, Birefringence, Density
Ans. B

41. 40. The depression between the ridges which
maybe compared with the low areas in a tire
tread.
a. Core
b. Delta
c. Furrows
d. Sweat pores
Ans. C

42. 41. It is the access to another computer network
sites to steal data or sensitive information.
a. Hacking
b. Cyber spies
c. Morphing
d. Password sniffers
Ans. A

43. 42. It is a sensitized material that has the primary
function of recording the image that is focused
upon it by the lens of the camera.(2x question)
a. Photographic paper
b. Film
c. Filter
d. Camera
Ans. B

44. 43. A component of a polygraph machine which is
used to record the perspiration and breathing of
a subject with the aid of a convoluted rubber
tube.
a. Plethysmograph
b. Pneumograph
c. Galvanograph
d. Kymograph
Ans. B

45. 44. The most typical camera used for police
photography.
a. Polaroid still camera
b. Single lens reflex camera
c. Digital camera
d. View camera
Ans. B

46. 45. They are considered as the focal points
in fingerprint identification.
a. Appendage and Upthrust
b. Core and Delta
c. Recurving ridge and Coverging ridge
d. Pattern area and Typelines
Ans. B

47. 46. Black powder as discovered by Chinese
Alchemist is consists of a mixture of:
a. Gelatinized nitrocellulose with ether and alcohol
b. Sulfur, Gelatinized nitrocellulose with ether
c. Salt, sulfur and alcohol
d. Sulfur, Charcoal and saltpeter
Ans. D

48. 47. How many days after infliction does a
“black-eye” can be observed to be turning
Purple?
a.1-4 days
b.4-5 days
c. 6-7 days
d. 8-9 days
Ans. A

49. 48. A principle in fingerprint which states
that the ridge patterns on the digits never
change during the life of an individual.
a. Principle of Permanency
b. Principle of Individuality
c. Principle of Infallibility
d. Principle of Lividity
Ans. A

50. 49. “Is your mother’s name Magdalena?” is what
kind of question?
a. Relevant
b. Irrelevant
c. Control
d. General question
Ans. B

51. 50. All fingers are rolled AWAY from the subject’s
body except?
a. Both Index fingers
b. Both Little fingers
c. Both Middle fingers
d. Both Thumbs
Ans. D

52. 51. Branch of ballistics which involves the
study of projectile’s behavior from the
time it leaves the gun until it ends its
flight.
a. Interior Ballistics
b. Terminal Ballistics
c. Exterior Ballistics
d. Transitional Ballistics
Ans. C

53. 52. Regarded as a special form of pen lift disguise
in which a perceptible group appears in the
writing.
a. Diacritic
b. Hiatus
c. Hesitation
d. Tremor
Ans. C

54. 53. These are firearms that propel projectiles with
diameter of more than one (1) inch.
a. Artillery
b. Musket
c. Assault rifle
d. Cannon
Ans. A

55. 54. There are always two deltas in what fingerprint
pattern?
a. Ach
b. Loop
c. Whorls
d. Accidental whorl
Ans. C

56. 55. The two types of glass fractures are?
a. Radial and Ulnar fractures
b. Radial and Concentric fractures
c Concentric and emetic fractures
d. Plain and one-way fractures
Ans. B

57. 56. A fingerprint characteristics which is free
from any obstruction.
a. Sufficient recurve/ Recurving ridge
b. Insufficient recurve
c. Insipient ridge
d. diverging ridge
Ans. A

58. 57. In terminal ballistics, it is the depth of
bullet penetrating the target.
a. Terminal Accuracy
b. Terminal Velocity
c. Terminal Energy
d. Terminal Penetration
Ans. D

59. 58. Firearms are like people that have general and
specific characteristics. What firearm
characteristics refers to those that can be
determined only after a gun is already
manufactured?
a. Caliber and Model
b. Class Characteristics
c. Rifling Characteristics
d. Individual Characteristics
Ans. D

60. 59. A typewriter defect that can be corrected by
cleaning the machine or replacing the ribbon.
a. Transitory defect
b. Typeface defect
c. Alignment defect
d. Permanent defect
Ans. A

61. 60. It is the ridge count of the first loop pattern
appearing on the fingerprint card except the two
little fingers.
a. Primary classification
b. Secondary classification
c. Final Classification
d. Key classification
Ans. D

62. 61. It refers to the last stage of toxological
examination.
a. Quantification
b. Microscopic examonation
c. Biological
d. None of the following
Ans. A

63. 62. Individual characteristics of firearms can
be determined even before a gun is
manufactured. This statement is-
a. True
b. False
c. Doubtful
d. Maybe
Ans. B

64. 63. These are marks found at the extracting
groove of the spent shell caused by its
withdrawal from the chamber.
a. Ejector marks
b. Shearing marks
c. Extractor marks
d. Firing pin marks

65. 64. Human hair has medullary index of less than
________, and animal hair has a medullary
index of greater than _________.
a. 0.1, 0.2
b. 0.2, 0.3
c. 0.3, 0.5
d. 0.5, 0.7
Ans. D

66. 65. This will serve as authority of polygraph
examiner to examine the subject as evidence
that subject voluntary submits to undergo the
test.
a. Willingness of the subject to undergo Pre-test
in interview
b. Willingness of the subject to take the test to
prove his innocence
c. Willingness of the subject to give his personal
data during the pre-test interview
d. None of the foregoing
Ans. B

67. 66. When a shot is fired on an automatic pistol by
a criminal.
a. The empty shells remain within the chamber
b. The shell is rarely found at the crime scene
c. The shell in most cases will be found at the
scene of firing
d. The shell is usually disposed by the perpetrator
Ans. C

68. 67. When bullet travels through the body it
produces a shock wave which damages
the tissue around its path, this is known
as –
a. Contact
b. Close discharge
c. Distance charge
d. Tissue quake
Ans. D

69. 68. In tented arches, the ridges _________
a. Make a complete circuit
b. Makes an obstruction
c. Run from one side to another with rise at
the center
d. Make a backward turn
Ans. C

70. 69. In taking fingerprints, __________ are
rolled towards the body of the subject.
a. All fingers
b. Both thumbs
c. Little fingers
d. All fingers except thumb
Ans. B

71. 70. If the same digits of both hands are
missing, the impressions are held to be
__________.
a. Dependent on the classification of the
print of the other finger
b. Dependent on the ridge tracing
c. Loops
d. Plain whorl, Meeting
Ans. D

72. 71. In the investigation of a rape case, use of ultra
violent light is a useful method because-
a. Only to establish whether certain stains, after
they have been located by some other
method.
b. To locate stains, but not to establish whether
they are semen stains
c. Both to locate stains and to establish whether
they are semen stains
d. Neither for finding nor for determining their
nature
Ans. B

73. 72. If a subject has more than ten (10)
fingers, the extra finger is printed on
the_______ of the fingerprint chart with
notation to the effect that same is an extra
finger.
a. Face
b. Other side
c. Face, upper corner
d. Face, lower corner
Ans. B

74. 73. Discharge shells are initialed at –
a. Inside or outside of the case near open
end
b. On any part of the shell
c. Where firing pin strikes
d. At the base
Ans. A

75. 74. The retouching of a defective portion of
a written stroke is known in questions
document examination as –
a. Feathering
b. Shading
c. Retracing
d. Patching
Ans. D

76. 75. In case of minor injury affecting only the layer
of the friction skin, the injury will not
permanently deface the ridge formation
provided that the ______ is not affected.
a. Dermis
b. Epidermis
c. Bone of the finger
d. Ulna bone
Ans. B

77. 76. A drop of blood which falls from the moving
object or person is elongated and the splashes
are found to be concentrated around one end
of the stain. As a general rule, the splashes
and the extension of the drop of blood
indicates –
a. Fresh blood
b. Dried stain
c. Direction of movement
d. Dead person
Ans. C

78. 77. The identity of two impressions is
established primarily through _______.
a. Dimensions of pattern
b. Similarity of traces
c. Unexplained similarity of patterns
d. Ridge characteristics and the relative
position of these ridge characteristics
Ans. D

79. 78. When inking fingers for the purpose of
taking rolled impressions, the fingers
must be inked from ______ to base of
the joint.
a. Base
b. Tip
c. Second joint
d. Third joint
Ans. B

80. 79. Is a kind of fingerprint pattern in which one or
more ridges enter on either side of the
impression by a recurve, pass out or terminate
on the same side as the ridges enter.
a. Loop
b. Ulnar loop
c. Radial loop
d. Tented arch
Ans. A

81. 80. A characteristic of post-mortem
symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning
is a –
a. Vary texture and appearance of the skin
b. Contorted position of the body
c. Pinkish lividity of all part of the body
d. Marked protuberance of the eyeballs
Ans. C

82. 81. The English person who coined the term
“Photography” in English language.
a. William Abney
b. William Talbot
c. Louis Daguerre
d. John F. Herschel
Ans. D

83. 82. In taking mug shots of a suspect who is
standing, the camera should be
positioned –
a. At neck level
b. At chest level
c. At hips level
d. Slightly above the head level
Ans. B

84. 83. This condition mimics rigor mortis when
the dead body is exposed to very low
temperature.
a. Cold stiffening
b. Heat stiffening
c. Cadaveric spasm
d. Instantaneous rigor
Ans. A

85. 84. Evidence which change quickly such as skid
marks, the wounds and bruises will heal and
disappear before the case comes to trial. Such
evidence can be preserved by –
a. Pickling method and introduced in court as
evidence
b. Photographed introduced in court as evidence
c. Casting and mould and introduced in court as
evidence
d. All of the foregoing
Ans. B

86. 85. The type of special kind of death is done
by making convict face a firing squad
and is put to death by a volley of fire.
a. Musketry
b. Euthanasia
c. Judicial death
d. Hanging
Ans. A

87. 86. To be able to make a positive identification of
a person, document examiner must be able to
observe the –
a. Characteristics of his handwriting
b. Writing position of the writer
c. Manner on how the writer moves the pain
d. Distinguishing individual features of his
handwriting
Ans. D

88. 87. Writing characterized by too much
freedom of movement and lack of
regulation which is usually tall letters.
a. Loss writing
b. Restrained writing
c. Genuine writing
d. Regulated writing
Ans. A

89. 88. Upon beginning the test, how many
seconds should the examiner wait before
asking the first question?
a. 10-15
b. 15-20
c. 5-10
d. 20-25
Ans. B

90. 89. A form of sexual perversion where a
male individual derives pleasure from
wearing the female apparels.
a. Homosexuality
b. Transexualism
c. Tranvestism
d. Intersexuality
And. C

91. 90. Portrait parle is correctly defined by which of
the following?
a. The verbal, accurate, and picturesque
description of the person identified
b. It is the file of pictures of missing or wanted
persons
c. The use of anthropometrical measurement of
human body as the basis for identification
d. It is the used of several evidences to eliminate
or include in choice for identification
Ans. A

92. 91. One of the following is considered the “cardinal
rule in chart interpretation”.
a. Chart makings is the keynote to accurate chart
interpretation
b. Specific response must form a deviation from
norm
c. Any change from normal response requires an
explanation
d. Chart probing shall be done after each chart
Ans. C

93. 92. Maybe defined as the scientific
examination of firearms, shell, bullets
allegedly used in the commission of a
crime.
a. Forensic ballistics
b. Interior ballistics
c. Exterior ballistics
d. None of the foregoing
Ans. A

94. 93. DNA is a chemical substance found in all
cells and individuals has a unique DNA
and only ________ share the same DNA
pattern.
a. Mother and child
b. Father and child
c. Mother and father
d. Identical twins
Ans. D

95. 94. The restoration of tampered serial
numbers can be done by the use of –
a. Benzidine solution
b. Saline solution
c. Etching solution
d. Sulfuric acid
Ans. C

96. 95. In ridge tracing, 3 or more ridges above
the right delta is considered whorl type
of pattern with –
a. Inner tracing
b. Outer tracing
c. Meeting Tracing
d. IMO tracing
Ans. B

97. 96. Period of time wherein human bones will
not exhibit changes.
a. 10 years
b. 20 years
c. 30 years
d. 40 years
Ans. B

98. 97. The tumbling of the bullet in its flight
and hitting the target sideways as a
result of not spinning on its axis.
a. Gyroscopic action
b. Key hole shot
c. Spinning
d. Recoil
Ans. B

99. 98. A wound produced by blunt
object/instrument such as log and stone.
a. Punctured
b. Incised
c. Lacerated
d. Stab wound
Ans. C

100. 99. A physical injury which is found at the
site and also the opposite site of
application of force.
a. Extensive injury
b. Coup injury
c. Contre coup injury
d. Coup and contre coup injury
Ans. D

101. 100. The light from the pinhole camera will
form –
a. A halo effect
b. A photographic emulsion
c. An inverted image
d. An emergency ray
Ans. C

102. 101. The simplest of all fingerprint patterns
is the –
a. Plain arch
b. Loop
c. Whorl
d. Plain whorl
Ans. A

103. 102. It was found out by the authorities in
Dactyloscopy that 65% of fingerprint
patterns are classified as –
a. Whorl
b. Loops
c. Arches
d. Combination of loop and whorl
Ans. B

104. 103. The rifling of a firearm is located inside
the barrel. It consist of –
a. Raised portion
b. Depressed portion
c. Lands portion
d. Lands and grooves
Ans. D

105. 104. The fingerprint of a person appears on
fetus between _________ after
conception.
a. 100-200 days
b. 100-120 days
c. 100-220 days
d. 100- 150 days
Ans. B

106. 105. Contemporary handwriting standards means
that the age of the standard should be within –
a. 5 years prior to the date of the questioned
document
b. 10 years prior to the date of the questioned
document
c. 8 years prior to the date of the questioned
document
d. 12 years prior to the date of the questioned
document
Ans. A

107. 106. The identification of handwriting is
based on the proposition that –
a. People are all alike
b. People are with different handwriting
c. People are all different
d. All of the foregoing
Ans.B

108. 107. A type of burn produced as a result of
the body come in contact with a moving
object.
a. Radiation burn
b. Electrical burn
c. Friction burn
d. Thermal burn
Ans. C

109. 108. The marks left on a bullet by a gun
barrel are different from those left by
any other gun barrel. This fact is most
useful in identifying the –
a. Direction from which a shot was fired
b. Person who fired a particular gun
c. Bullet which caused a fatal wound
d. Gun from which the bullet was fire
Ans. D

110. 109. In cases of suicide, what would be the
noticeable muscular change?
a. Cold stiffening
b. Heat stiffening
c. Instantaneous rigor
d. Putrefaction
Ans. C

111. 110. Designed to fired at night which emits
a bright flame at its base.
a. Tracer bullet
b. Zip gun
c. Dum-dum
d. Blank ammunition
Ans. A