Biological evidence
Definition
Any material of biological origin recovered in a forensic context that can yield information relevant to an investigation. Includes blood, semen, saliva, hair, bone, teeth, skin cells, and plant or microbial material.
Related terms
- Chain of custody
- The documented chronological record of who collected, handled, transferred, and examined a piece of evidence. For digital evidence, chain of custody includes...
- Degradation
- The breakdown of DNA by enzymatic, chemical, or physical processes after biological material is deposited. Degradation produces fragmented DNA that may not...
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
- DNA located in mitochondria rather than the cell nucleus. Present in hundreds to thousands of copies per cell, making it recoverable from...
- Nuclear DNA
- The approximately 3.2 billion base pairs of DNA contained in the nucleus of most human cells, organised across 23 pairs of chromosomes....
- Touch DNA
- Minute quantities of epithelial cells transferred by skin contact with a surface, without leaving a visible stain. Collected by swabbing contact points...
Explained in
- The Scope of Biological Evidence in Forensic ScienceAny material of biological origin recovered in a forensic context that can yield information relevant to an investigation. Includes blood, semen, saliva, hair,...