Main Categories Of Evidence In The Criminal Justice System

In our criminal justice system, truth is the most sought-after attribute. Since evidence cannot be altered, it only reinforces the truth. There are several forms of evidence that investigators may use to build their case. The five main categories of evidence include, direct evidence, physical evidence, demonstrative evidence, circumstantial evidence, and opinion evidence. Direct evidence can be described as the testimony of an individual who directly witnessed the offender committing a crime. For example, if you were at your financial institution and you witnessed an individual robbing the institution, your testimony would be considered direct evidence. Another form of nature is one of a physical nature. Physical evidence is one of the most
damning forms of evidence and is highly desired in today’s courtrooms. Physical evidence can include, blood, fingerprints, tools, fibers, hairs and other items that are left behind during the commission of a crime.
Perhaps one day an individual was driving under the influence and were involved in a car accident that injured an innocent bystander. If a video was created highlighting the day-to-day challenges the innocent bystander now faces as a result of the injuries sustained in the accident, the video would be classified as demonstrative evidence. Demonstrative evidence is intended to support or enhance oral testimony to help the jury grasp the events that have occurred (Leesfield, n.d.). Circumstantial evidence is important to an investigation, however, it cannot stand on its own. Circumstantial evidence used logical reasoning in order to establish guilt. For example, testimony from a witness that can place the accused near the scene of a crime during the time frame the crime was committed would be classified as circumstantial as the witness did not see the actual crime taking place. Opinion evidence is just as the name suggests, it includes the perception of a witness based on opinion, thoughts or beliefs. For example, offender descriptions are based off of one’s perceptions and differ from person to person such as describing the height, weight, and race of the suspected offender. Ultimately, all five categories of evidence are essential to criminal investigations and play a critical role in identifying, apprehending, convicting and sentencing criminal offenders.