Unit 2 - Types of Evidence Flashcards
Evidence
something that tends to establish or disprove a fact; can include documents, testimony, or other objects
Testimonial Evidence
what is said in court by a competent witness; also called direct evidence or “prima facie” evidence
Physical Evidence
tangible items that tend to prove some material fact; also called real evidence
Transient Evidence
Evidence that is temporary; can be easily changed or lost (odors, temperatures, footprints, etc.)
Conditional Evidence
evidence produced by a specific action or even at the scene that must also be observed and recorded (postion of objects, doors or windows open/closed or locked/unlocked)
Indirect Evidence
evidence providing only a basis for inference about the disputed fact
Circumstantial Evidence
evidence based on suggestion rather than personal knowledge or observation
Questioned or Unknown Sample
material that has been collected from a known location but is of unknown origin
Known Sample
material that comes from a proven or known source
Control Sample
generally refers to a material that is expected to respond in a particular way in testing; often used to validate the method of testing by comparing test results to those of the questioned and known samples
Individual Evidence
material that can be related to a single source; always involves a comparison
Class Evidence
material that can be associated only with a group of items that share properties or characteristics
Factors that may affect the memory of an eyewitness
- Nature of the offense and situation
- Age or mental/physical state of the witness
- Length of time between the offense and the testimony
- Interviewing techniques
- Witness’s prior relationship with the accused
- Any earlier identification of other suspects by the witness
Pattern Evidence
evidence produced by direct contact between a person and an object or between two objects
Transfer Evidence
evidence produced by contact between person(s) and object(s), or between person(s) and person(s)
