There are set rules to follow for every court case. And yet not every case goes according to plan. Without the right types of evidence, law enforcement professionals might question whether justice truly prevailed. That’s why it’s so critical to gather the necessary, accurate information all throughout the investigation process.
Put simply, there are two types of evidence categories. Addressing both, as well as the sub-sections within them, can help ensure the court will have exactly what they need to make a sound decision.
Bringing Circumstantial Evidence to Trial
The first batch of evidence to consider is called “circumstantial.” These pieces of evidence are presented to suggest facts, and that can mean they’ll be open to interpretation. By relying on implications or inferences, it’s up to the court to get to the bottom of the stories the prosecution and defense are telling and determine their legitimacy.
There might be a certain aspect of the crime scene’s appearance that qualifies as circumstantial evidence too. Or there could be a testimony that seems to provide a link between the case and a particular individual. You might even find physical evidence that qualifies as circumstantial if it corresponds with criminal activity but can’t be directly tied to the act concretely.
Direct Evidence for Court Cases
On the other side of things, courtrooms also deal with “direct” evidence. These are items that are a little more obvious, or even definitive, for getting to the truth. You might be able to present a weapon to the court that has a direct relationship to the case. Or you could be dealing with interview evidence.
Whenever possible, bringing high-quality audio-video content to the table is an absolute must. No agency wants to have their interview evidence denied because of a poor recording. You work hard to follow all of the right procedures and proven methods to gather important evidence for the case, so make sure it’s documented appropriately.
Direct evidence includes both eyewitness accounts and confessions. Whether you’ll be gathering this content in an onsite interview room, or you’re working in the field with a remote recording solution, know that iRecord can help. Our systems are carefully designed for either scenario and all types of public safety teams.
Let iRecord Help You Pursue the Truth
Neither evidence type is definitively better or more valuable than the other. But of course, it’s best for the court to have as many details to review as possible. If your team needs to upgrade your interview room to have better quality-control with your own court-admissible evidence, iRecord is here to analyze all of your options.
Ready to learn more? Please don’t hesitate to reach out. Then we can schedule a quick call or demo. We’ve carefully designed all of our solutions to complement the ways agencies work in the real world. Together, we can figure out the right custom setup for your own process.