Which term refers to tangible items collected from crime scenes?

• A. Physical Evidence
• B. Testimonial Evidence
• C. Surveillance Techniques
• D. Interview Techniques

Answer: (A)

Tangible items gathered at a crime scene are known as physical evidence. This refers to material objects that can be touched, examined, and tested in a laboratory, such as fingerprints, fibres, weapons, bloodstains, or DNA samples. Physical evidence is valuable because it can be analyzed scientifically to support or refute facts about what happened, and it often helps establish identity, presence, or sequence of events. It also requires a proper chain of custody to be admissible in court. In contrast, statements from witnesses or suspects constitute testimonial evidence, which is about what people say, not items you can physically examine. The other terms refer to methods used to collect information rather than the tangible objects themselves.