Locard Exchange Principle
Definition
The forensic principle that contact between two surfaces transfers material in both directions. Plant material, pollen, seeds, and leaf fragments all transfer from environments to people and objects, making botanical evidence a direct expression of this principle.
Related terms
- Dendrochronology
- The science of dating by tree-ring sequences. Each annual ring encodes the growing conditions of that year; matching ring patterns to a...
- Forensic Botany
- The application of plant science, including morphology, anatomy, palynology, and molecular biology, to criminal and civil legal proceedings.
- Palynology
- The study of pollen grains and spores. In forensic work it links persons, objects, or remains to specific geographic locations through the...
- Post-Mortem Interval (PMI)
- The time elapsed between death and discovery or examination of remains. PMI estimation draws on multiple disciplines: soft tissue decomposition stage, insect...
- Provenance
- The documented origin of a media file: the device that captured it, the time and location of capture, the chain of custody...
Explained in
- Scope and History of Forensic BotanyThe forensic principle that contact between two surfaces transfers material in both directions. Plant material, pollen, seeds, and leaf fragments all transfer...