Physical evidence would include all things ranging from DNA to shoewear impressions. Anything which is tangible and analysable such as cigarette butts. Although, an interesting thought experiment would be that if the technology doesn't exist to analyse a given piece of evidence - is it still evidence?
I would argue no.
An easy contemplation of this would be in the case of DNA profiling. Prior to the late 80s early nineties there was simply no way to match DNA sample to a perpetrator, so could we class it as evidence? I would suggest no since it was unable to provide evidence of anything at the time. In Physics terms, I suppose it had only potential energy. Until we discovered how to change that potential energy into actual kinetic or evidentiary energy it cannot be classified as evidence.
Thus physical evidence requires a framework in which it can 'act' as evidence.
Physical evidence would include all things ranging from DNA to shoewear impressions. Anything which is tangible and analysable such as cigarette butts. Although, an interesting thought experiment would be that if the technology doesn't exist to analyse a given piece of evidence - is it still evidence?
I would argue no.
An easy contemplation of this would be in the case of DNA profiling. Prior to the late 80s early nineties there was simply no way to match DNA sample to a perpetrator, so could we class it as evidence? I would suggest no since it was unable to provide evidence of anything at the time. In Physics terms, I suppose it had only potential energy. Until we discovered how to change that potential energy into actual kinetic or evidentiary energy it cannot be classified as evidence.
Thus physical evidence requires a framework in which it can 'act' as evidence.