CSI Terminology
Types of Evidence
Crime Scene Photography
Crime Scene Sketches
Crime Scene Investigation
100
This is a statement of where a suspect was at the time of a crime. It comes from the Latin word that means "somewhere else."
What is an Alibi?
100
This type of evidence consists of objects (such as glass, handprints, paint flakes, and hair) and are definitely used in court.
What is Physical Evidence?
100
This type of photograph gives the big picture of the whole crime scene.
What is an Establishing Shot?
100
This sketch is what is made after the rough sketch, often by a professional drafter.
What is a Finished Sketch?
100
This step is when you look for evidence in a systematic way, often using a search pattern.
What is Searching for Evidence?
200
This is an alternate location where evidence may be found.
What is a Secondary Crime Scene?
200
This type of evidence includes research and or numbers.
What is Statistical Evidence?
200
This type of photograph depicts individual items of evidence.
What are Close-Up Photographs?
200
A sketch is drawn at the crime scene. It is not a finished product, although it does contain measurements and other data.
What is a Rough Sketch?
200
These are 2 of the 4 crime scene search patterns.
What are Spiral, Grid, Quadrant, or Linear search patterns?
300
This person may or may not be present to determine a preliminary cause of death at a crime scene.
What is a Medical Examiner?
(Will also accept Coroner)
300
This type of evidence refers to evidence that is found in small but measurable amounts such as strands of hair, fibers, or skin cells.
What is Trace Evidence?
300
This is an item that should always be included in a close-up photograph.
What is a Scale (Ruler)?
300
This sets an origin and measures everything from that, usually a corner of a square room
What is the Rectangular-Coordinate Method?
300
This step is when forensic examiners quickly look around the scene to determine where photos should be taken. A determination may be made of a primary crime scene and secondary crime scene and priorities assigned regarding examination.
What is Scanning the Scene?
400
This is the process of focusing on a particular object in the environment for a certain period of time, often tuning out seemingly unimportant details.
What is Selective Attention?
400
This type of evidence generally only looks at the evidence that supports the story you already believe to be true and ignores other evidence that doesn't fit that story.
What is Anecdotal Evidence?
400
This is the stage that you photograph a crime scene. One of the "7 S's."
What is Seeing the Scene?
400
This is the method of measurement seen in this photo.
What is the Triangulation Method?
400
This is the last step of the "7 S's."
What is Securing and Collecting Evidence?
500
This is the type of glass fracture moving outward from the center as shown in this image.
What is a Radial Fracture?
500
This type of evidence proves that someone didn't commit a crime.
What is Exculpatory Evidence?
500
This type of photograph depicts the details of an object, and is taken at extreme close range.
What is a Macroscopic Photograph?
500
In addition to distances from fixed points, the Azimuth Method also has this key feature not found the the other two sketching methods.
What are angles/degrees/compass readings?
500
This is the 5th step in the "7 S's."
What is Sketching the Scene?