Evidence is primarily transferred through contact or interaction between people, objects, and locations.
Understanding Evidence Transfer
The transfer of evidence is a fundamental concept in forensic science. It explains how materials move from one place or person to another during an event, such as a crime. This process leaves behind traces that can link suspects to victims, objects, and crime scenes.
Mechanisms of Transfer
Evidence transfer occurs when surfaces touch, clothing brushes against objects, or individuals interact. This physical contact facilitates the exchange of materials.
- Recipient to Source: Material from the source is deposited onto the recipient.
- Source to Recipient: Material from the recipient is picked up from the source.
Think of it as a two-way exchange whenever contact occurs.
Examples of Transferred Evidence
As highlighted by forensic principles, different forms of transfer evidence demonstrate this exchange:
- Materials taken to a scene: Small foreign materials, such as food particles, carried by a perpetrator and left behind at the crime scene.
- Materials taken from a scene: Identifying materials like a victim's hairs or skin particles carried away from the scene on the perpetrator's clothing.
These examples illustrate how physical contact during an event results in the movement and deposition of trace evidence. This transferred evidence then becomes valuable information for investigators.
