class evidence
material that connects an individual or thing to a certain group
circumstantial evidence
evidence used to imply a fact but not prove it directly
individual evidence
evidence that identifies a particular person or thing
chain of custody
the documented and unbroken transfer of evidence
Locard's Exchange Principle
Contacts between people and objects during a crime can involve a transfer of material that is evidence of the crime
Perception
interpreting information received from the senses
forensic
relating to the application of scientific knowledge to legal questions
paper bindle
a folded paper used to hold trace evidence
Medulla
central core of a hair fiber
catagen stage
Hair grows and changes
eyewitness
person at scene of crime that observes events pertaining to crime
first responder
first police officer to arrive at a crime scene
opinion
personal belief founded on judgement rather than on direct experience or knowledge
hair follicle
actively growing root or base of a hair containing DNA and living cells
anagen stage
Period of active growth when the cells of hair are rapidly dividing
Melanin
pigment found in the cortex of a hair
Innocence Project
reexamines post conviction cases using DNA evidence
primary crime scene
the location where the crime took place
cortex
region of a hair located outside of the medulla containing granules of pigment
medullary index
ratio of diameter of hair medulla to the diameter of the entire hair
Observation
what a person perceives using his or her senses
telogen stage
Hair follicle remains dormant or resting, hairs easily lost
Cuticle
tough outer covering of a hair composed of overlapping scales
Keratin
fibrous protein that makes up the majority of the cuticle
direct evidence
evidence (if true) proves an alleged fact, such as an eyewitness account of a crime