Chapter 2 – Types of Evidence
- Something that tends to establish or disprove a fact. Evidence can include documents, testimony, and other objects
I.
- what is said in court (under oath) by a competent witness; also called direct evidence or
prima facie
evidence a.
Competent- Having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully b.
Research has found that witnesses remember certain facts better than others i.
A witness that is physically similar to the offender is more likely to give an accurate description c.
d.
e.
Victims of serious crimes remember facts for longer periods of time
Other physical factors or witnesses affect accuracy of observations
Interviewing techniques differ accuracy of eyewitness accounts
II.
- tangible items that tend to prove some material fact; also called real evidence a.
b.
- temporary; easily changed or lost; usually observed by the first officer at the scene. i.
odor
is produced by direct contact between a person and an object or between two c.
d.
objects. i.
Blood spatter
is produced by a specific event or action; important in crime scene reconstruction and in determining the set of circumstances or sequence within a particular event. i.
Body – (temp…)
is produced by contact between person(s) and object(s), or between person(s) and person(s). i.
Paint / blood on a car e.
is something that may associate a victim or suspect with a scene or with each other; e.g., personal belongings. i.
soil f.
Value of physical evidence i.
MMO ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Back up testimony
Link suspect
Identify victim or suspect
Reconstruction of crime