Essay portion of Current Concepts Midterm

These questions require thoughtful reflection and answers of both detailed and substantial length.

Your writing should be neat, clear, and your sentences well constructed.Write your answers on lined paper (provided.) You should answer both questions 1 and 2. You may choose either question 3 or 4 to answer.

Question 1.

You have been hired as an assistant to a defense attorney (DA). Your job is to conduct research to assist your boss in preparing the defense of his client. His client was accused of forging checks [signatures on the back of several checks were identified as forgeries], and stealing jewelry. His client Idnt Doit adamantly insists he is INNOCENT all charges. Here is the information you know at this point in your research.

  1. An eyewitness, Snoopy Neighbor, told police that she saw Idnt Doit leaving the victim’s home with a black bag on the day the crime was committed. She also informed police that she is pretty sure Idnt was near the mailbox, and opened it to pull something out.
  2. A shoe print was found near the door to the victim’s home.
  3. Fingerprints were found on a piece of recovered jewelry.
  4. Detectives, following protocol and with a search warrant, have taken all of Idnt Doit’s shoes. Crime scene technicians have recovered particles of dirt, small pebbles, and sand from the treads. They have also taken soil, and mineral samples from the area outside the home of the victim.
  5. Police procedures for evidence documentation and recovery have been excellent, and will not be useful in exonerating Idnt Doit.

Explain the reliability of the evidence already gathered, the proper techniques for its evaluation, and the additional evidence you might suggest that the DA have police collect.

Suggest questions the DA might ask Snoopy Neighbor during the trial (base this on your knowledge of the reliability of eye witness accounts.)

Use your knowledge of forensic geology to explain the application of the evidence found in Idnt Doit’s boots.

Explain the way handwriting analysis might be used to authenticate the signatures on the back of the checks.

Suggest other forensic analyses that might be useful.

Remember, your goal after seeking God’s guidance and wisdom, is to apply Colossians 3:23, and Ephesians 4:15.

Question 2

You have been asked to make a presentation to your Christian Home School Association at its annual meeting. There will be 8th grade students, new families considering home schooling, and the parents of current students present.

Your task is to explain the ethical issues in the field of genetics based on what you have learned in this course.

The parents want to know the science topics covered and the ethical issues that their children will investigate. You need to select 2 or 3 topics within the field of genetics to briefly explain. You will then present the method for developing an action plan to help fellow believers get involved in putting “feet” to their faith.Your conclusion should relate the importance of Christian involvement as God leads.

Choose question 3 or 4.

Question 3

You have studied and reviewed the use of Punnett squares in exploring probability of specific traits appearing in the offspring of two parents. A friend comes to you with a request for help.

She is married to a man whose father has a disease present only with the presence of two recessive alleles.

She thinks she remembers that her maternal grandfather had this disease, though neither her mother nor father have it.

The disease is characterized by constant pain in the joints, difficulty walking and moving. It is progressive, and limits both viability and life span.

Use a Punnett square to discover the possibility of the woman and her husband being carriers for the disease (heterozygous). Also discuss the possibility of one of their children having the disease. How would you advise them in regard to the importance of genetic screening or their decision not to have children? Include your Biblical knowledge in this answer too.

Question 4

Create a detailed Venn diagram identifying the issues on either side of the topic of using embryonic stem cells for research, healing degenerative diseases, and other uses. Take a position – what do you think should be done by Christians about this? What does the Bible have to say about this issue that supports your position?

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