Download ABMDI Practice Test Questions (2025): Comprehensive Questions and Verified Answers and more Exams Forensics in PDF only on Docsity!
ABMDI PRACTICE TEST QUESTIONS (2025) COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS|RECENTLY TESTING ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS|100% ACCURATE!
"A good point to remember regarding report writing is that A.good report writing is a skill that comes naturally; some have it, whereas others will never have it. B.information is of little use unless it is properly documented and communicated to others. C.organization of the report is more important than the information contained in the report. D.abbreviations and acronyms are important "shortcuts" to good, efficient report writing.
E.the more medical terminology the better. - CORRECT ANSWER B"
"If you are called to a hospital's emergency department to begin the medicolegal death investigation of a death caused by a firearm, the medicolegal "scene" is A.the emergency department. B.the emergency department and any part of the hospital leading from the street to the room. C.the whole hospital. D.any location the decedent may have been prior to death.
E.any location the decedent may have been within the past 24 hours. - CORRECT ANSWER A"
"State systems, or states with a "State Medical Examiner" typically investigate A.all deaths that occur within their national "region" (i.e., southwestern, northeastern, etc.) B.all deaths that occur within their state. C.all deaths within their state that fall under statute. D.all deaths within their county.
E.all deaths that occur on federal property within the state. - CORRECT ANSWER C"
"You work as an investigator for the medical examiner's office. The local high school sociology teacher has invited you to give a presentation on "medicolegal death investigation." Which ONE of the following topics would be MOST appropriate? A."Autoerotic Deaths" B."Suicide by Police" C."Animal Deaths" D."The Role of the Medical Examiner"
E."Turf Wars - Medical Examiner Investigators vs. Law Enforcement" - CORRECT ANSWER D"
"Proper distribution and use of investigative reports include all of the following EXCEPT which ONE? A.preparing cases for court. B.keeping other involved parties informed. C.anticipating future needs for information.
D.providing medical information to the news media.
E.helping a forensic pathologist determine the cause and manner of death. - CORRECT
ANSWER D"
"The public information officer (PIO) for your jurisdiction requests information regarding an investigation for exclusive release. The investigator should A.advise the PIO of office policy and decline to provide information that would not otherwise be provided to other news agencies. B.provide the information because the PIO understands your departmental policies and is usually fair in relasing information to all news outlets. C.advise the PIO of the information with added request that the information not be released until a later specified date. D.decline to provide information stating that the office will make its own news release at a later time.
E.None of the above. - CORRECT ANSWER A"
"A funeral director contacts you concerning the death of a local physician's spouse. Upon discovering her dead, the physician called the funeral director and requested that the body be immediately removed to the funeral home. You should do all of the following EXCEPT A.follow your agency's policy consistent with home deaths. B.instruct the funeral director not to remove the body. C.explain your agency's home death procedures to the physician. D.verify the decedent's medical history.
E.inquire whether the physician had marital problems. - CORRECT ANSWER E"
"A businesswoman from out of town is found dead in her motel room, the victim of apparent homicidal violence. Personal items in the room reveal she is married and lives in an adjoining state. In order to notify her next-of-kin, the investigator should A.telephone the husband and advise him of the death immediately, then send a police officer(s) to the husband's residence and inform him of the death. Request that the officer(s) remain at the residence and direct the husband to call the investigator's office at that time. B.contact the law enforcement agency in the husband's jurisdiction. Ask them to send a police officer(s) to the husband's residence and inform him of the death. Request that the officer(s) remain at the residence and direct the husband to call the investigator's office at that time. C.request the motel owner to notify the next-of-kin from the information contained in the motel
registry, then contact th - CORRECT ANSWER B"
"The medicolegal death investigator and a police officer arrive at a death scene within minutes of each other.
C.Counsel the family. Explain the circumstances surrounding the investigation and why the autopsy must be performed (criminal prosecution, etc.) D.Have the familys rabbi talk with the family and the detective in charge.
E.Explain to the family that its your job and that you have no control over state law. - CORRECT
ANSWER C"
"All death scenes should be treated as __________ until proven otherwise. A.accidents. B.conspiracies. C.natural. D.suicides.
E.homicides. - CORRECT ANSWER E"
"You arrive at the scene of a suspicious death and are informed that the law enforcement crime scene team has taken photos and videotaped the scene. You have also noticed that several portions of wall and carpeting have already been removed by law enforcement crime scene members. As a medicolegal death investigator you should A.take your usual photos/videotape, and document in your narrative what was done before your arrival. B.avoid gathering any more photographic documentation, as the scene has already been altered. C.speak to the law enforcement agent in charge and inform him that no modifications of the scene will be permitted in the future. D.call your immediate supervisor to come to the death scene as you do not feel you can adequately perform your investigation. E.tell law enforcement to put all pieces of the evidence they removed back in the place and
position where they found them so you can take your photogr - CORRECT ANSWER A"
"You are called to the scene of an apparent suicide. The victim is a bachelor who lived alone. The maid entered the apartment using her key, as all doors were locked. The victim suffered a single gunshot wound to the head, and a revolver is lying next to him on the bed. There is also an apparent suicide note on the nightstand next to the bed. As an investigator, you should A.investigate the case as a homicide until you prove it is a suicide. B.stop the investigation immediately because it is a suicide. C.conduct a thorough suicide investigation. D.declare the death a suicide and proceed with the investigation.
E.conduct a brief scene inspection and inform the family that you feel the death is a homicide. -
CORRECT ANSWER A"
"You arrive at a death scene where an ET tube and gloves are noticed next to the body. You should
A.take photos of the scene after removing the ET tube and gloves. B.take only close-up photos of the body, avoiding the medical devices. C.not take photos of the scene as it has already been disturbed by medical personnel. D.ask emergency personnel to remove their equipment before taking your photos.
E.take photos of the scene and document what medical personnel did in your narrative report. -
CORRECT ANSWER E"
"The recovery team at a mass disaster should include three individuals. One is a photographer to take overall photographs of the bodies in a scene context, and two are team members, often referred to as an evidence tech and scribe, to perform all the following functions EXCEPT A.fix markers at the site. B.number and tag the bodies, body parts, and property. C.prepare the bodies for removal. D.determine the agency in charge.
E.collect evidence at the scene. - CORRECT ANSWER D"
"One of the first things you should do to manage the collection of evidence at a homicide scene would be to A.look for appropriate clothing to wear at the scene. B.determine a safe and clean area from which you can coordinate the scene. C.enlist volunteers to assist in the collection of evidence. D.wait at the scene until you can contact certified evidence technicians.
E.remove the victim, seal the scene, and contact an outside agency to help. - CORRECT
ANSWER B"
"A body with a bullet wound through the chest is found almost 50 feet from the weapon. Should the investigator rule out suicide as a manner of death? A.Yes; a serious chest wound would prevent the person from moving that distance. B.Yes; a chest wound is too painful to allow continuous movement for that distance. C.No; persons who commit suicide have the weapon in hand or nearby. D.No; a person who is mortally wounded can travel a considerable distance before collapsing.
E.Yes; bullets have kinetic energy which tends to knock down the victim. - CORRECT ANSWER
D"
"You are called to the scene of a carbon-monoxide suicide. Several law enforcement members complain of feeling ill after being in the home. You should A.wait until fire fighters/rescue personnel deem the residence safe by measuring carbon monoxide levels. B.use your best judgment about when it is safe to enter the residence.
C.fingerprinting and identification of the decedent. D.making the jury understand evidence collection procedures.
E.teamwork with law enforcement personnel. - CORRECT ANSWER B"
"An expert witness is permitted to testify about A.observations and his/her factual opinions based on those observations. B.any topic related to his/her area of expertise, related or unrelated to the case. C.opinions based on speculation, related to the facts of the case. D.only those observations and findings related to the case.
E.only those scientific findings proven through forensic investigation and comparison. -
CORRECT ANSWER B"
"Loose bones (skeletal remains) found at the scene, should be packaged in A.paper bags or boxes. B.body bags. C.plastic zip-lock type bags. D.it does not matter for bone tissue.
E.clean cotton sheet(s). - CORRECT ANSWER A"
"A distant-range gunshot wound is identifiable by A.bullet wiping surrounding the wound. B.no bullet wiping surrounding the wound. C.soot surrounding the wound. D.powder residue outside the entrance wound.
E.an absence of gunshot residue surrounding the wound and/or clothing - CORRECT ANSWER
E"
"Death due to contact with an electrical device is primarily related to A.the number of volts received by the victim. B.the number of amps received by the victim. C.the number of watts received by the victim. D.the number of joules received by the victim.
E.prolonged contact over one minute. - CORRECT ANSWER B"
"What level of carbon monoxide saturation of hemoglobin is most commonly seen to cause the death of a child? A.5 to 10%. B.10 to 20%. C.20 to 30%.
D.30 to 40%.
E.40 to 50%. - CORRECT ANSWER C"
"The application of science to law describes A.criminological science. B.criminal science. C.criminal defense law. D.medicolegal law.
E.forensic science. - CORRECT ANSWER E"
"A death investigator may experience symptoms of emotional trauma. What is the best means available to assist these individuals? A.The National Association of Clergy B.Contact the employee union representative C.The Association of Chaplains and Counselors D.Appropriate local employee assistance programs (e.g., human resource departments, crisis response team)
E.Counseling from peers in their office - CORRECT ANSWER D"
"When attempting to assist a co-worker deal with job-related stress, it is most appropriate to show A.sympathy B.empathy C.indifference D.sarcasm
E.tenacity - CORRECT ANSWER B"
"Which ONE of the following is FALSE? If a co-worker uncharacteristically starts telling death- related jokes, this may be viewed as A.his/her inability to handle job-related stress. B.his/her coping mechanism. C.inappropriate behavior that must be reported. D.an indicator of how stressed the co-worker is.
E.appropriate investigator behavior. - CORRECT ANSWER E"
"Most common case/cause of physcial trauma in child abuse cases are: - CORRECT ANSWER
subdural hematoma and/or intraabdominal hemorrhage"
"An intermediate range gunshot wound is identifiable as: - CORRECT ANSWER multiple
unburned particles surrounding the entrance wound/clothing"
"An absence of gunshot residue would suggest: - CORRECT ANSWER a distant range GSW"
"Which is TRUE about maggots - CORRECT ANSWER they grow at predictable rates depending
on temp/climate"
"Overdose of which substance is associated with HYPERthermia - CORRECT ANSWER cocaine"
"State systems, or states with a "State Medical Examiner" typically investigate - CORRECT
ANSWER All deaths within their state that fall under statute."
"You work as an investigator for the medical examiner's office. The local high school sociology teacher has invited you to give a presentation on "medicolegal death investigation." Which ONE
of the following topics would be MOST appropriate? - CORRECT ANSWER The Role of the
Medical Examiner" "Proper distribution and use of investigative reports include all of the following EXCEPT which
ONE? - CORRECT ANSWER Providing medical information to the news media."
"A recent infant death you investigated has been termed a SIDS death on the preliminary autopsy
report. You, as the investigator, must contact - CORRECT ANSWER The local SIDS Center and
the local police agency." "When one is writing descriptive information about a death scene, the name, address, and telephone number of the decedent are all part of the _____________ to be included in the case
file. - CORRECT ANSWER Demographic information"
"The public information officer (PIO) for your jurisdiction requests information regarding an
investigation for exclusive release. The investigator should - CORRECT ANSWER Advise the
PIO of office policy and decline to provide information that would not otherwise be provided to other news agencies."
"The medicolegal death investigator and a police officer arrive at a death scene within minutes of
each other. - CORRECT ANSWER The best approach is a "team" approach to performing the
work." "Obtaining information regarding the decedent's medical history is a priority. When discussing
this history with family members, which of the following is least important to consider? -
CORRECT ANSWER Avoid questions that may embarrass the family."
"If the deceased is decomposed, mutilated, or burned beyond recognition and the family insists,
for religious or cultural reasons, on viewing the body, the investigator should - CORRECT
ANSWER Prepare the family before viewing with a verbal explanation and possibly photographs
of the remains." "The practice of not allowing transport of a body from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday is
associated with which ONE of the following religious beliefs? - CORRECT ANSWER Judaism"
"The pathologist has identified the cause of death of a 62-year-old male as acute myocardial infarction. The victim's spouse calls you two days after your scene investigation to request the
results of the autopsy. You should - CORRECT ANSWER Interpret the pathologist's findings
(heart attack) to her."
"The scene sketch is important because it - CORRECT ANSWER Combines the best of
photography and scene notes"
"Important supplemental items for your digital camera may include all the following - CORRECT
ANSWER Additional batteries.
External flash. Alternative lens. Additional memory cards."
"All death scenes should be treated as __________ until proven otherwise. - CORRECT
ANSWER Homicides"
"You arrive at the scene of a suspicious death and are informed that the law enforcement crime scene team has taken photos and videotaped the scene. You have also noticed that several portions of wall and carpeting have already been removed by law enforcement crime scene
"Regarding chain of custody of evidence, all of the following are correct - CORRECT ANSWER
The chain should be kept to a minimum. The chain must not be broken. The chain is really a "paper" trail of documentation. If not properly maintained, an item may be inadmissible in court."
"A 32-year-old male dies of AIDS; it is permissible for the death investigator to - CORRECT
ANSWER Release property taken at the scene to the family."
"How a witness behaves and appears on the witness stand is called __________ evidence. -
CORRECT ANSWER Demeanor"
"Which of the following is an acceptable method of shielding a body from curious onlookers? -
CORRECT ANSWER Place a car between the body and the onlookers.
Use a clean sheet to cover the body. Have law enforcement ask onlookers to move back an appropriate distance. Ask law enforcement to widen the scene perimeter using yellow tape."
"In a court of law, handling evidence in a "legally acceptable manner" refers to - CORRECT
ANSWER Documenting the chain of custody."
"An expert witness is permitted to testify about - CORRECT ANSWER Any topic related to
his/her area of expertise, related or unrelated to the case."
"Loose bones (skeletal remains) found at the scene, should be packaged in - CORRECT
ANSWER Paper bags or boxes."
"A distant-range gunshot wound is identifiable by - CORRECT ANSWER An absence of gunshot
residue surrounding the wound and/or clothing."
"The leading cause of death from cancer in the United States is - CORRECT ANSWER Lung
Cancer"
"Death due to contact with an electrical device is primarily related to - CORRECT ANSWER The
number of amps received by the victim."
"What level of carbon monoxide saturation of hemoglobin is most commonly seen to cause the
death of a child? - CORRECT ANSWER 20 to 30%."
"The application of science to law describes - CORRECT ANSWER Forensic science."
"A death investigator may experience symptoms of emotional trauma. What is the best means
available to assist these individuals? - CORRECT ANSWER Appropriate local employee
assistance programs (e.g., human resource departments, crisis response team)" "When attempting to assist a co-worker deal with job-related stress, it is most appropriate to
show - CORRECT ANSWER Empathy"
"Which ONE of the following is FALSE? If a co-worker uncharacteristically starts telling death-
related jokes, this may be viewed as - CORRECT ANSWER Appropriate investigator behavior."
"Within two days a recently employed investigator has been involved with two badly decomposed victims and a pedestrian who was struck by a car. When the investigator arrived at the hospital, he/she was subject to an extremely traumatic reaction by the pedestrian's family.
The first sign of the investigator's ability to cope with job-related stress is likely to be - CORRECT
ANSWER Verbalizing feelings of tension, stress, frustration, or depression."
“Medical examiner/coroner authority at a death scene comes from? A.the medical examiner official office policy manual. B.the medical examiner/coroner office policy derived from state statutory authority. C.the medical examiner/coroner office policy derived from federal statutory authority. D.the coroner official office policy manual.
E.the county board of supervisors. - CORRECT ANSWER B"
"When investigating a death, it is best to A.work alone on the investigation. B.not listen to others or ask questions. C.use all available resources. D.disregard how problems affect personnel.
E.assume control of the scene immediately upon arrival. - CORRECT ANSWER C"
"A recent infant death you investigated has been termed a SIDS death on the preliminary autopsy report. You, as the investigator, must contact A.the police chaplain who will relay the findings to the family. B.the local SIDS Center and the local police agency.
"The decedent was the victim of a severe beating six days prior to death. At the autopsy it is revealed that the decedent died as a result of a pulmonary embolus that originated in the femoral vein. No trauma to the lower body was incurred. The victim had remained in bed at home due to soreness and swelling in his face. The death was best certified as A.accidental. B.natural. C.homicide. D.manslaughter.
E.undetermined. - CORRECT ANSWER C"
"Identification methods depend on the condition of the body. From the list below, what source of documentation does NOT provide scientific means of identification? A.Fingerprints. B.DNA. C.Dental comparisons. D.Radiographic comparisons.
E.Personal papers or ID photographs on the person. - CORRECT ANSWER E"
"When packaging items for the laboratory, you should A.use standard-size containers. B.place items in separate packages. C.place items from the same location in the same package. D.place like items in the same package.
E.use plastic to preserve biological evidence. - CORRECT ANSWER B"
"Partial cremains were recovered from a local funeral home. Which of the following would be the best evidence to collect for DNA testing to establish identification? A.implants B.partial femur bone C.ash D.jewelry
E.tissue from pelvis - CORRECT ANSWER B"
"How a witness behaves and appears on the witness stand is called __________ evidence. A.testimonial B.demeanor C.demonstrative D.reproductive
E.physical - CORRECT ANSWER B"
"Which ONE of the following is NOT an acceptable method of shielding a body from curious onlookers?
A.Place a car between the body and the onlookers. B.Use a clean sheet to cover the body. C.Have volunteers from the crowd act as a human shield. D.Have law enforcement ask onlookers to move back an appropriate distance.
E.Ask law enforcement to widen the scene perimeter using yellow tape. - CORRECT ANSWER
C"
"The leading cause of death from cancer in the United States is A.lung cancer. B.adenocarcinoma of the colon. C.leukemia/lymphoma. D.renal cell carcinoma.
E.pancreatic cancer. - CORRECT ANSWER A"
"Within two days a recently employed investigator has been involved with two badly decomposed victims and a pedestrian who was struck by a car. When the investigator arrived at the hospital, he/she was subject to an extremely traumatic reaction by the pedestrian's family. The first sign of the investigator's ability to cope with job-related stress is likely to be A.suddenly being depressed or withdrawn for an apparent reason. B.excessive smoking and/or drinking of alcohol before and after work. C.difficulty in making decisions or solving problems on the job. D.agressive behavior both on the job and at home.
E.verbalizing feelings of tension, stress, frustration, or depression. - CORRECT ANSWER E"
Medical examiner/coroner authority at a death scene comes from - CORRECT ANSWER The
medical examiner/coroner office policy derived from state statutory authority."
"When investigating a death, it is best to - CORRECT ANSWER Use all available resources."
"A good point to remember regarding report writing is that - CORRECT ANSWER Information
is of little use unless it is properly documented and communicated to others." "If you are called to a hospital's emergency department to begin the medicolegal death
investigation of a death caused by a firearm, the medicolegal "scene" is - CORRECT ANSWER
The emergency room" "A funeral director contacts you concerning the death of a local physician's spouse. Upon discovering her dead, the physician called the funeral director and requested that the body be
immediately removed to the funeral home. You should do all of the following EXCEPT -
CORRECT ANSWER Inquire whether the physician had marital problems."
"A businesswoman from out of town is found dead in her motel room, the victim of apparent homicidal violence. Personal items in the room reveal she is married and lives in an adjoining
