1. Foundation of Forensics Modus Operandi Corpus Delicti

2. Modus Operandi The Method of Operation (MO) It is the who, what, where, when, how It describes a distinct pattern that indicates a method of operation or suggests the work of a single criminal in more than one crime. It is the habits, techniques, and peculiarities of behavior. Sometimes it is somewhat consistent, but it grows and changes over time as the offender becomes more skilled

3. Corpus Delicti The corpus delicti, literally translates to “body of the crime,” which refers to those essential facts that show a crime has taken place. Example: To establish the crime of burglary, for instance, a forensic analysis of the crime scene for physical evidence could include searching for items of evidence such as, but not limited to: –Toolmarks and fingerprints at the point of entry –Broken doors or windows –Glass in the burglar’s shoes and pants from broken glass at the scene –Ransacked rooms –Missing valuables –Footwear impressions on the ground outside of the residence.

4. Linkage The idea that the physical evidence links the suspect, victim, and crime scene together by the following principle: When two objects come in proximity to each other they transfer matter.