Evidence

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Recommended: Crime scene evidence collection

Introduction Evidence is the key component to solving a crime. Collecting evidence is important because all of the questions that cannot be answered by people can be answered by science. Crime scene investigators can be reliable as expert witnesses because of their experience in the field and their knowledge of evidence. There are two main types of evidence that can be used in court: direct and circumstantial.

Direct Evidence Direct evidence is evidence that can be collected at the crime scene by investigators, such as: video, audio, DNA, fingerprints, weapons, and even victim’s bodies. During the collection of evidence, the scene needs to be cleared and safe from contamination from other people. Investigators may take several hours to collect evidence and grasp an understanding of the crime scene. Direct evidence is based on fact. “An eyewitness to an event is direct evidence, but eyewitnesses are often unreliable... People may lie, or, they may not see things as clearly as they believe, especially if an event occurs quickly or at a time of high stress” (Circumstantial ve...

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