English Words for "Investigation & Forensics"

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backup [noun]

the act of providing assistance or support to someone or something

Ex: His decision to rely on backup from colleagues helped solve the issue quickly .

composite sketch [noun]

a drawing of a person, usually a suspect, made by combining descriptions from witnesses

Ex: Authorities released a composite sketch of the suspect .

clue [noun]

a piece of evidence that leads someone toward the solution of a crime or problem

Ex: The cryptic message was the only clue they had to solve the puzzle .

cold case [noun]

a criminal investigation that has remained unsolved for a significant period and lacks recent investigative leads

Ex: The murder , once thought to be a cold case , was reopened after new evidence emerged linking a suspect to the crime scene .

circumstantial [adjective]

based on indirect evidence rather than direct proof

Ex: Circumstantial details suggested he was at the scene .

manhunt [noun]

an organized search by police for a person wanted for a crime

Ex: Authorities organized a manhunt in the forest .

lie detector [noun]

a machine that measures bodily changes to see if someone might be lying

Ex: She passed the lie detector easily .

line-up [noun]

a group of people standing next to each other so a witness can try to identify a criminal suspect

Ex: She looked carefully at the line-up to find the thief .

mystery [noun]

something that is hard to explain or understand, often involving a puzzling event or situation with an unknown explanation

Ex: Mystery surrounds the ancient ruins in the remote desert .

open-and-shut case [phrase]

a case that is very clear and easy to prove because there is strong evidence

Ex: With video evidence , the crime became an open-and-shut case .

polygraph [noun]

a machine that measures and records bodily functions like pulse, blood pressure, breathing, and sweating

Ex: He refused to take the polygraph test .

person of interest [phrase]

a person the police think may be connected to a crime but who has not been arrested

Ex: The police named a person of interest in the investigation .

security risk [noun]

a person who may be dangerous to a country or organization, especially if trusted with secret information

Ex: He lost his job because he was considered a security risk .

customs [noun]

the place at an airport or port where passengers' bags are checked for illegal goods as they enter a country

Ex: They were stopped by customs for carrying fruits across the border .

to solve [verb]

to find an answer or solution to a question or problem

Ex: The scientist conducted experiments to solve the scientific question .

stake-out [noun]

a situation in which police secretly watch a place to observe someone or find evidence of a crime

Ex: Officers conducted a stake-out to catch the criminal .

to stake out [verb]

to watch a building continuously, usually by police or reporters, to see who goes in or out

Ex: Concerned about security , the team was instructed to stake out the embassy throughout the night .

surveillance [noun]

the act of monitoring a person or place, especially by the police

Ex: The suspect was placed under 24-hour surveillance to track his movements .

to suspect [verb]

to think that someone may have committed a crime, without having proof

Ex: He began to suspect his business partner of embezzling funds when discrepancies appeared in the accounts .

private detective [noun]

a person who is hired to investigate crimes or personal matters, but is not a police officer

Ex: He works as a private detective in the city .

vigilante [noun]

an individual or group of individuals who take the law into their own hands, acting outside the legal system to enforce their version of justice or address perceived wrongs

Ex: The masked vigilante patrolled the streets at night , seeking to bring justice to those he believed had escaped the legal system .

vigilantism [noun]

the act of taking the law into your own hands instead of relying on the police

Ex: Movies often show stories of vigilantism .

wanted [adjective]

actively sought by law enforcement due to involvement in criminal activity

Ex: Tensions rose in the community as rumors spread about a wanted person hiding nearby .

watchlist [noun]

a list of people or groups that authorities watch closely because they may be dangerous

Ex: The airport checks people who are on the watch list.

eyewitness [noun]

someone who has personally seen of an object, event, etc. and can describe it

Ex: His testimony as an eyewitness was crucial in convicting the suspect .

alibi [noun]

proof that indicates a person was somewhere other than the place where a crime took place and therefore could not have committed it

Ex: The police verified the suspect 's alibi through surveillance footage from a nearby gas station .

autopsy [noun]

an examination of a deceased person's organs to determine the cause of death

Ex: My family agreed to an autopsy to understand the cause of our loved one 's sudden death .

body [noun]

a dead person's physical frame

Ex: His body lay in state for three days , allowing mourners to pay their respects .

crime scene [noun]

the place where a crime happened and where police look for evidence

Ex: Detectives examined the crime scene carefully .

forensic [adjective]

related to the use of scientific techniques when trying to know more about a crime

Ex: The forensic lab was still analyzing the hair and fiber samples gathered from the victim 's vehicle .

forensics [noun]

the scientific techniques that help police solve crimes

Ex: Advances in DNA forensics have helped solve many cold cases years after the original crimes .

fingerprint [noun]

a mark made by the unique pattern of lines on the tip of a person's finger, can be used to find out who has committed a crime

Ex: The suspect was apprehended after his fingerprints matched those found on the stolen vehicle .

evidence [noun]

a statement, document, or object that is used in a law court for establishing facts

Ex: The evidence presented in court included surveillance footage that clearly showed the accused committing the robbery .

exhibit [noun]

an item formally introduced and referred to in a legal proceeding as evidence

Ex: The expert identified the fossilized tooth on the stand while the lawyer moved it into evidence as the next exhibit .

post-mortem [noun]

an examination of a body after death to find out the cause

Ex: A post-mortem was ordered by the police.

to strip-search [verb]

to search a person by having them remove their clothes to check for hidden items

Ex: She was strip-searched before being allowed into the facility.

crime lab [noun]

a place where police examine physical evidence from crimes

Ex: The crime lab confirmed the fingerprints matched the suspect .

criminology [noun]

the study of crimes, criminals, and how crime can be prevented

Ex: He wrote a book on criminology .

Crime and Punishment
Crime & Misconduct Concepts	Fraud & Deception	Financial & Defamation Crimes	Property Crimes & Theft
Sexual & Exploitative Crimes	Violent Crimes	Illegal Trade & Organized Crime	Violent Offenders
Property Criminals & Fines	Organized & Personal Offenders	Investigation & Forensics	Investigative Processes & Methods
Apprehension & Sentencing	Prison & Punishment	Imprisonment, Exile, & Capital Punishment