What is Evidence and Types of Evidence
Any crime scene (including burglary , murders , suicides , firearms cases ,auto thefts etc) is an important place for finding clues or in forensic language
for finding physical evidence.
Q - what is evidence ?
Evidence definition - that which presented in support or tends to prove a claim or disprove something .
Types of evidence -
1) Demonstrative evidence,Ex a chart or a video.
2) Documentary evidence,Ex documents like wills, letters and other documents.
3) Physical evidence or real evidence or material evidence
4) Digital evidence
5) Exculpatory evidence
6) Scientific evidence
7) Testimony or Direct or personal evidence. Witnesses brought forth the
evidence such as testimony.
Every contact leaves a trace . This statement is for Edmond Locard exchange
principle which states that whenever someone enters or exits an environment ,
something physical is added to and removed from the scene. This is the basic
principle apply to all crime scene for finding physical evidence.
Physical evidence is any object or item that establishes that a crime has been
committed and link a crime to its victim or to its perpetrator. Ex are Blood ,
semen , saliva , documents , drugs , explosives ,fingerprints, firearms and
ammunition , glass , hair , impressions , paint , petroleum products , soil
and minerals , powders residues , plastic bags , wood and vegetative matter ,
serial numbers etc.
Types of physical evidence -
1) Trace evidence - physical evidence that is found in small but measurable amounts such as
Strands of hair fibers or skin cells.
2) Transient evidence - It is temporary, easily changed or lost,usually observed by the first officer at the crime scene. Ex are odour , temperature.
3) conditional evidence - It is produced by a specific event or action importance in crime scene reconstruction and in determining the set of circumstances or sequences within a particular event. Ex a body can be moved,lights can be turned on or off, windows can be opened or closed.
4) Individual evidence - It attributed to a common source with a high degree of certainty. DNA evidence, fingerprints and striations mark on bullet .
5) Class evidence - It associated with a group and never with a single source. It consists of treads on new tires or shoes,blood types and unused bullets.
6) Circumstantial evidence also called indirect evidence - They provided a basis for inference about the disputed fact.Ex document not written by the defendant, A hair.
7) Pattern evidence - It is produced by direct contact between a person and an object or between two objects. Ex are mostly in the form of imprints,indentations, striations, markings, fractures or deposit.
clothing or article distribution, blood spatter, glass fracture, furniture position, tire marks or skid marks.
8) Transfer evidence - It is produced by contact between person(s) and object(s) or between person(s) and person(s).Ex Fibers , hairs , paint.
9) Associative evidence - it is something associate a victim or suspect with a scene or with each other. Ex personal belongings
10) Biological evidence - It originated from a human, plant or animal such as bodily fluids.
At crime scene its the duty of investigator and forensic expert/personnel to work together to define and secure the crime scene, examine and document the scene, collect physical evidence and preserve, package and submit the evidence to the concerned authorities.
Physical evidence must be collected in a priority. If its a burglary then first priority is to collect Biological evidence, Trace materials and evidence of fragile nature. Second priority will be given to collection of swab from handled items ,items out of place or don't belong to the owner. Third priority given to lower quality biological evidence. Its only an Ex of a burglary scene , the type of evidence collected will very with the type of crime.
Q - whats the value of forensic/physical evidence .
1) First of all they prove that a crime has been done.
2) They established key elements of a crime.
3) They are unique. If a shoe print found on a soil, its help to find out the size and type of shoes it came from and the wear pattern could be used to match it to a specific pair.
4) They are the lead to the perpetrator.
5) There is less probability of their presence is by a chance.
6) They are decisive in determining the guilt or innocence of a person.
7) They corroborate other evidence.
8) They provided a physical match, if any trace evidence found on the suspect or in his/her possession that match with crime scene,then its a valuable evidence.
9) They are used to test the statements of plaintiff , defendant and witnesses.
we get the answer what is evidence and also discussed the types of evidence . evidence play a major role in proving the case in a court of law.
we get the answer what is evidence and also discussed the types of evidence . evidence play a major role in proving the case in a court of law.
MR. DEEPAK PAWAR has been working as Finger Print Expert / Police Officer in Finger Print Bureau , Delhi Police at New Delhi since 2001 . He is the senior most Finger Print Expert , attending / visited several scene of crime and solved many crime cases .He has passed M.Sc (Chemistry) and he is the Member of International Association of Identification . He is the Member of Delhi Police welfare association . He is supervising the Forensic , New Delhi District , Mobile Crime Team . He is one of the Expert in the Special Investigation Team held for investigation of important cases . He has been giving fingerprint proficient training to Delhi Police personnel's . He has been Presented / giving lectures on topics related to forensic science . He is also making examination paper of Finger Print proficient course . He is awarded with Police Medal by MHA and Delhi Police.