ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Forensic evidence

Forensic evidence is like a puzzle. Whenever something bad happens, like a crime, the police use forensic evidence to try and figure out what happened and who did it. They look for different pieces of evidence that fit together to tell the story of what happened.

One of the most common types of forensic evidence is fingerprints. Fingers have patterns that are unique to each person, kind of like how your face looks different from your friend's face. When someone touches something, like a door or a weapon, they might leave behind their fingerprints. If the police find fingerprints at a crime scene, they can compare them to fingerprints they have on file (sometimes from people who have been arrested before) to see if they match.

Another type of forensic evidence is DNA. DNA is like a code that tells your body how to grow and function. Every person has their own unique DNA, except for identical twins who have the same DNA. When someone touches something or leaves behind a hair or a drop of blood, the police can take a sample and test it to see if it matches the suspect's DNA.

Other types of forensic evidence include footprints or shoe prints, fibers from clothing, and even things like paint chips or bullet fragments. All of these things can help the police put the pieces of the puzzle together and figure out what happened.

It's important to note that forensic evidence isn't always 100% accurate. Sometimes things can get mixed up or contaminated, and sometimes people can be wrongly accused of a crime because of faulty forensic evidence. But overall, forensic evidence is a very important tool that helps the police solve crimes and keep our communities safe.