CRIM 25103 - Criminal Investigation: Exam 2 (John Brooks)

These flashcards cover key concepts and terminology related to criminal investigations.

Follow-up Investigation

An investigation that begins when initial leads require further inquiry, new evidence emerges, or additional witnesses need to be interviewed.

Neighborhood Canvas

A standard part of follow-up investigations aimed at identifying witnesses, gathering additional evidence, confirming suspect descriptions, and establishing timelines.

Photo Lineups

A method used in investigations where witnesses identify suspects from a series of photographs, which can be simultaneous or sequential.

Polygraph

A lie detection technique used to analyze physiological responses to questions during an investigation.

Witness Interviews

Conversations conducted with witnesses separately to prevent cross-contamination of statements.

Miranda Rights

Rights read to suspects, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney, informing them that anything said can be used in court.

DNA Analysis

The analysis of genetic material unique to individuals, which can be either nuclear DNA or mitochondrial DNA.

Chain of Custody

The process of maintaining and documenting evidence handling to ensure integrity in a criminal investigation.

Homicide

The unlawful killing of another person, which can be classified as criminal, justified, excusable, or involuntary.

Defensive Wounds

Injuries sustained by a victim while resisting an attack.

Postmortem Changes

Changes in a body after death, including algor mortis (cooling), rigor mortis (stiffness), and livor mortis (blood pooling).