Untitled Flashcards Set

Testimonial Evidence

A statement made under oath; also known as direct evidence or prima facie evidence.

Physical Evidence

Any relevant object or material in a crime; also known as indirect evidence.

Eyewitness Reliability Factors

Considerations such as the nature of the offense, characteristics of the witness, and manner of information retrieval.

Hearsay Rule

Testimonial evidence or documentation that quotes a person not in court is not admissible.

Drew’s Law

A law passed in Illinois allowing hearsay evidence if a victim was killed to prevent testimony.

Corroboration

The use of physical evidence to support or refute eyewitness testimony.

Ronald Cotton Case

A case illustrating issues with eyewitness identification where the wrong man was convicted.

Transfer Evidence

Evidence produced by contact between persons or objects.

Associative Evidence

Items that may associate a victim or suspect with a scene or each other.

Transient Evidence

Temporary evidence that is easily changed or lost, such as odors.

Pattern Evidence

Evidence produced by direct contact where patterns can be interpreted, such as blood spatter.

Conditional Evidence

Evidence produced by a specific event or action important in crime scene reconstruction.

Biological Evidence

Evidence including blood, semen, saliva, and tissues.

Chemical Evidence

Evidence such as soil, gunpowder, drugs, and paint.

Class Evidence

Evidence that is common to a group of objects or persons.

Circumstantial Evidence

Evidence that relies on an inference to connect it to a conclusion of fact.

Individual Evidence

Evidence that can be identified with a particular person or source.

Forensic Investigations

Activities that include recognition, preservation, identification, comparison, individualization, interpretation, and crime reconstruction.

Chain of Custody

A written record of all people who have possession of an item of evidence.

Processing a Crime Scene

Steps including isolating the scene, documenting it, and collecting evidence.

Crime Scene Team

A group of professional investigators trained in various special disciplines.

Documentation

Includes notes, photographs, sketches, and videography of crime scenes.

Search Methods

Methods used to effectively search for evidence such as grid, zone, and strip methods.

Evidence Packaging

The proper collection, marking, sealing, and preservation of evidence.

Obtaining Controls

Collecting known samples to compare with evidence from a crime scene.

Submitting Evidence

The process of providing collected evidence to a laboratory for analysis.

Legal Considerations

Guidelines that dictate how evidence can be collected at a crime scene.

Mincey vs. Arizona

A court case involving the legality of evidence collection during a drug investigation.

Michigan vs. Tyler

A case related to arson investigation and evidence collection.

Perpetrator

A person who carries out a crime.

Victim

An individual harmed or injured as a result of a crime.

Reconstruction of the Crime

Using physical evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events in a crime.

Initial Response

The first steps taken by police upon arriving at a crime scene.

First Officer on Scene Duties

Assessing, detaining, arresting, protecting the scene, and taking notes.

Crime Scene Survey Purpose

To prepare a reconstruction theory and note conditions that could change.

Signature Evidence

Unique evidence that can identify a suspect's specific methods or style.

Identification Techniques

Methods used in the collection or analysis of suspect or victim evidence.

Odor Evidence

Transient evidence that includes smells which can indicate a decomposition or chemical spill.