Gathering Evidence

*Items are evidence if they:
-Offer clues to suspects
-Suggest how crime was committed
-Are not usually found at the location
-Scene must be photographed
-Carefully collected
-Cast of footprints
-Tracks
-Tool marks
-Never touch anything with your bare hands!

*Chain of Custody-The initial spotting is recorded all the way to the lab and court.

Evidence-->Office-->Evidence lock up-->court

*Recording a crime scene: Field notes must contain:
WHO
WHAT
WHEN
WHERE
HOW
WHY

Field notes are used for:
-Committing observations to writting
-Maintaining an order of events
-Helps jog your memory in court

Evidence Scene Consideration-
-Terminology and definitions
-Procedures
-Case Studies

Types of Evidence:
-Transient-easily changed or lost
-Conditional-Has to be documented at the scene or it could be lost forever-ex: lighting cond.
-Pattern-Imprints or markings
-Transfer-of a physical object to another phsical object
-Associative-associates a victim or suspect to a scene

*Types of evidence:
1. Direct-Testimony of a witness that tie the defendant directly to the commission of the crime. First hand knowledge.
2. Real-"Physical Evidence" it is connected with the commission of the crime and can be produced in court. E: weapons, fingerprints and DNA
3. Demonstrative-Not identical to real evidence even though items are tangeable. Maps, diagrams, sketches, photos, tape recording, video, x-rays, anything that assists witnesses in their testimony.
4. Circumstantial-All evidence other than direct. It infers a series of known facts that help witnesses and juries reach a conclusion. You can ontain a conviction with circumstantial evidence.