Fun facts
The country where the modern police force was first established in 1829.
United Kingdom
The person who presides over a courtroom and ensures the trial follows legal rules.
The judge
The study of how insects can help determine the time of death.
Forensic Entomology
The constitutional right that allows a person to remain silent to avoid self-incrimination.
The Fifth-Amendment
A crime that involves taking someone else’s property without permission.
Theft/Larceny
The term for a person who studies crime and criminals
Criminologist
The side that bears the burden of proof in a criminal trial.
The prosecution
The type of impression left by a show or tire in soft ground.
A tread mark
The term for a serious crime, such as murder or robbery, usually punishable by more than one year in prison.
A Felony
A crime involving the unlawful entry into a building to commit a felony.
Burglary
The state that was the first to use the electric chair for executions.
New York
The term for a lawyer who represents a defendant who cannot afford their own attorney.
A public defender
The name for the “database” used by the FBI to store DNA profiles.
Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)
The legal requirement that police must inform a suspect of their rights upon arrest.
The act of intentionally setting fire to property.
Arson
The approximate percentage of criminal cases in the U.S. that are resolved through plea bargains rather than trials.
90-95%
The name for the formal statement of a defendant‘s plea to the charges against them
An arraignmet
The process of analyzing the handwriting or signatures on a document to determine authenticity.
questioned document examination
The level of proof required for a police officer to make an arrest.
Probable Cause
A crime involving the use of force or threat to take property from a person.
Robbery
The term for a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of their occupation.
White-collar crime
The term for when a jury cannot reach a unanimous decision, resulting in a mistrial.
A hung jury
The field of forensics that focuses on the analysis of digital devices and electronic data.
Digital Forensics
The term for the release of a prisoner before their full sentence is served, subject to supervision.
Parole
The illegal act of tricking someone to gain money or property.
Fraud