Criminal Investigation Chapters 1-7 Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering legal terms, evidence types, and investigative procedures from Chapters 1 through 7.

Criminal investigation

A systematic process of gathering and evaluating information and evidence to determine what happened, identify possible offenders, and support a fair resolution.

Corpus delicti

Evidence that a crime occurred.

Motive

Why someone may have committed an act.

Intent

The mental state required for an offense.

Inculpatory evidence

Evidence that tends to point toward guilt or support guilt.

Exculpatory evidence

Evidence that tends to favor innocence or reduce responsibility.

Modus operandi (MO)

The method or pattern used to carry out a crime.

Primary scene

The location of the main criminal event.

Secondary scene

Another location connected to the criminal event.

Crime scene reconstruction

The process of using physical evidence and other information to develop and test explanations of an event.

Biological evidence

Blood, saliva, and other materials that may contain DNA.

Trace evidence

Small transferred materials such as fibers, glass, paint, or hair.

Impression evidence

Evidence such as shoeprints, tire impressions, and toolmarks.

Class evidence

Evidence that associates an item with a group.

Individual evidence

Evidence that may associate an item with a particular source.

Chain of custody

Documentation of who collected, handled, transferred, and stored evidence.

Preliminary investigation

The initial response and fact-gathering stage.

Follow-up investigation

The stage of investigation that builds on the initial response by reviewing reports, pursuing leads, and organizing findings.

Case clearance

A reporting or case-status concept that is not the same thing as proving guilt at trial.

Interview

Questioning that generally seeks to gather information from a person.

Interrogation

Focused questioning of a suspect about possible involvement in a crime.

Open-ended questions

Questions that invite a narrative from the person being interviewed.

Closed-ended questions

Questions that seek specific details.

Leading questions

Questions that suggest an answer and can influence a person's account.

Admission

A statement that acknowledges a relevant fact.

Confession

A statement that acknowledges responsibility for a crime.

Miranda warnings

Warnings that generally apply before custodial interrogation when law enforcement seeks to use the suspect's statements in its case-in-chief.

Lead

A direction or suggestion for further investigation, which is not proof by itself.