Chapter 2: Evidence Flashcards
Who is Dr. Edmond Locard?
French criminalist from the late 1800s
Contributed to the first official forensic science laboratory
Well-known for his formulation of Locard exchange principle
Define Evidence
inclusive, exclusive, or indeterminate
What is Admissibility of Evidence?
admissibility hearings are conducted prior to the introduction of evidence to a case
before any scientific evidence is able to enter the courtroom, it must first be determined to be admissible
Frye standard
General acceptance
Daubert Standard
Trial judge being responsible for the determination of relevant scientific evidence and whether or not the expert presenting is qualified to discuss the results and offer an opinion
Physical
Aids in proving a crime has in fact occurred
tangible
Testimonial
A type of direct evidence that can speak about a fact in question
non-tangiable
Demonstrative
Will display some aspect of the crime/incident
Non-tangible
Demonstrative
Will display some aspect of the crime/incident
tangible
must be supported by physical evidence
Circumstantial
No clear evidence linking suspect and relies on inference
non tangible
Deductive Reasoning
Reasoning that is based on known facts that can be logically applied
Inductive Reasoning
Reasoning that is based on generalizations based on data
Useful for proposing ideas or hypotheses
Abductive Reasoning
The process of reasoning and thinking in which known pieces of evidence are considered to produce a theory that represents the simplest explanation.
-Most commonly used in criminal investigations
-Offer the most reliable explanation
what are the challenges of admissibility
the use of scientific analyses
how can we decrease subjectivity
less contextual information
sequential unmasking
