Criminal Investigation Fundamentals Flashcards

Which type of evidence is defined as physical objects found at a crime scene?

Answer: Real evidence

Real evidence (also called physical evidence) consists of tangible objects recovered from the crime scene, such as weapons, clothing, or fingerprints.

A detective receives an anonymous tip that stolen property is hidden in a suspect's garage. What must the detective obtain before searching the garage?

Answer: A search warrant

The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches. A search warrant based on probable cause is required to search a private dwelling or curtilage such as a garage.

The 'corpus delicti' of a crime refers to:

Answer: The body of facts establishing that a crime occurred

Corpus delicti (Latin for 'body of the crime') refers to the essential facts that prove a crime has been committed, not a physical body.

During a homicide investigation, officers find a spent cartridge casing at the scene. This is best classified as:

Answer: Circumstantial evidence

A cartridge casing requires inference to link it to the crime — it does not directly prove who fired the shot. It is therefore circumstantial evidence.

When interviewing a witness to a robbery, the officer should:

Answer: Allow the witness to provide a narrative before asking specific questions

Best practice for witness interviews is to allow a free narrative first, then ask open-ended and specific questions. This produces more accurate and complete information.

The primary purpose of the chain of custody in criminal investigations is to:

Answer: Ensure evidence has not been tampered with or contaminated

Chain of custody documents every person who has handled, accessed, or transferred evidence to ensure its integrity and admissibility in court.