Criminal Investigation Vocabulary

verb to evaluate or determine the value or quality of something

• It is important to assess the impact of the new policy on the economy.
• We need to assess how much money we have left before going shopping.
• I'll assess the situation and let you know what's up.
• She carefully assessed the risks before making a decision.

noun a person who has committed a crime

adjective relating to crime or criminals

• The criminal was sentenced to ten years in prison for his actions.
• The guy who robbed the bank got caught and is now a criminal.
• That dude is a total criminal, always up to no good.
• His reckless behavior was criminal in nature, causing harm to those around him.

verb to administer poison to (a person or animal) in order to kill or harm them

adjective containing or being a poisonous substance that is capable of causing injury or death

• The victim was found to have been poisoned with a lethal dose of cyanide.
• I heard that someone got poisoned after eating at that sketchy restaurant.
• They say she got poisoned by her ex-boyfriend's lies.
• The toxic environment at work slowly poisoned her enthusiasm for the job.

verb to have a similar appearance or quality to someone or something else

• The two siblings closely resemble each other in appearance.
• I think those two actors resemble each other a lot.
• Those two look-alike like twins!
• Her actions resemble those of a true leader.

noun sure sign - a clear indication or evidence of something

• The sudden drop in temperature is a sure sign that winter is approaching.
• Her sneezing and runny nose are a sure sign that she's coming down with a cold.
• When he starts talking about his ex-girlfriend all the time, it's a sure sign he's not over her.
• The dark clouds gathering in the sky were a sure sign of the impending storm.

adjective characterized by secrecy or stealth; sneaky

• The spy made a surreptitious entrance into the enemy's headquarters.
• She took a surreptitious peek at his phone while he was in the bathroom.
• The pickpocket made a surreptitious move to snatch the wallet.
• The artist's surreptitious brush strokes added depth to the painting.

noun a slight trace or indication of something

• The detective had a strong suspicion that the suspect was lying.
• I have a suspicion that he's not telling the truth.
• I got a hunch that something fishy is going on.
• The dark clouds of suspicion loomed over the small town.

noun A person who specializes in analyzing and identifying fingerprints for forensic purposes

• The fingerprint analyst carefully examined the evidence collected from the crime scene.
• The fingerprint analyst was able to match the prints found at the scene to a suspect.
• The fingerprint analyst busted the perp using the prints left at the scene.
• The fingerprint analyst was like a detective uncovering the hidden clues in the fingerprints.

noun the act of taking fingerprints for identification purposes

• Fingerprinting is a common method used in forensic science to identify individuals based on their unique patterns of ridges and valleys on their fingertips.
• They had to do fingerprinting at the police station after the break-in.
• I heard they're doing fingerprinting at the crime scene to catch the thief.
• In a way, our choices and actions can act as a form of fingerprinting, leaving a unique mark on the world around us.

verb to accuse or blame someone for a crime or wrongdoing

• The evidence presented in court was not enough to inculpate the defendant.
• They tried to inculpate me in the crime, but I had an alibi.
• The police were trying to pin the blame on me, but they couldn't inculpate me.
• Her actions inadvertently inculpated her in the scandal, even though she had no direct involvement.

noun the act or process of identifying or recognizing something by piecing together different parts or clues

• Jigsaw identification is a method used in forensic investigations to piece together fragmented information to identify a person.
• Jigsaw identification is like putting together a puzzle to figure out who someone is.
• When investigators do jigsaw identification, they're basically playing detective with scattered clues.
• In a way, jigsaw identification is like solving a mystery by connecting the dots in a scattered picture.