Written by Chris Drew (PhD)
Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]
| September 6, 2023
Circumstantial evidence, also known as indirect evidence, refers to information or facts that, while not directly proving a claim, provide insight that can lead to a reasonable inference about a certain circumstance or event.
It differs from direct evidence, which provides straightforward and unequivocal support for a claim. The term “circumstantial” comes from the Latin word “circumstantia,” which means “standing around.”
In essence, circumstantial evidence “stands around” the main point, providing context and clues instead of directly addressing the point at hand.
Circumstantial evidence requires reasoning and deduction, rather than straightforward observation or response (Cane & Tushnet, 2003). It often requires connecting several different pieces of information to draw a conclusion.
For instance, if a person was found in possession of stolen goods shortly after a robbery, this might be circumstantial evidence suggesting their involvement in the robbery. However, the evidence doesn’t directly prove the person was the person who committed the robbery.
Contents show1. Fingerprints: Fingerprints at a crime scene are a type of circumstantial evidence. They suggest a person was present, but they do not prove what actions the person took or when he or she was there.
2. Electronic Information: Information such as internet search history also counts as circumstantial evidence. If someone was searching for how to commit a specific crime shortly before it occurred, it could suggest their involvement. However, it does not conclusively prove anything.
3. Behavior Patterns: Changes in normal behavior can sometimes suggest foul play. For instance, if an employee who usually works regular hours suddenly starts staying late around the time valuable items start disappearing from the office, their unusual behavior could serve as circumstantial evidence.
4. Witness Testimony Regarding Character: It’s indirect, and sometimes unreliable, but a witness testifying about a suspect’s character can be used as circumstantial evidence. If a witness says, “John has been saying he needs money,” it could help suggest John’s motivation to commit theft. However, it doesn’t prove that John actually committed the crime.
5. Circumstantial Location Evidence: If a crime has been committed in a town and someone with a record of similar crimes has just moved in, this might be considered circumstantial evidence. However, being in a particular location at a specific time, even with a previous record, does not prove involvement in the current crime.
6. Overheard Conversations: If a witness reports overhearing someone discussing a crime or planning future illegal activities, it could serve as circumstantial evidence. However, a conversation alone does not definitively prove a crime was committed.
7. Text Messages or Emails: Communications like implied threats or suspicious conversations can serve as circumstantial evidence. For instance, if a person sent angry, threatening texts to someone who later gets hurt, those messages could suggest the sender’s involvement. Still, they don’t prove the person carrying out the act.
8. Discrepancies in Alibis: If a person claims to have been in one place at the time of a crime but there’s evidence suggesting otherwise, these discrepancies can serve as circumstantial evidence. For instance, if a person claims to be at home at the time of a robbery, but traffic cameras show his car near the scene, it can contribute to suspicion.
9. Forensic Evidence: Trace evidence, such as fibers, soil, or shards of glass found on a suspect’s clothes, could suggest they were at the crime scene. This form of evidence can be used to build a circumstantial case, but needed to be interpreted carefully as it doesn’t provide direct proof.
10. Unusual Purchases: Records that show someone purchasing tools or items unusual for them, especially if they’re relevant to a crime, could be circumstantial evidence. For example, if someone bought a ski mask and gloves right before a masked robbery, it’s suspicious but not definitive proof of involvement in the crime.
11. Physical Appearance Changes: After a crime, drastic changes in physical appearance, such as a new haircut or dyed hair, may be considered circumstantial evidence suggesting a person is attempting to avoid recognition.
12. Property Ownership: The possession of stolen goods can serve as circumstantial evidence. If a stolen item is found in someone’s home, it’s suggestive, but doesn’t directly prove they were the thief.
13. Injuries or Wounds: In a physical altercation case, injuries on a person might act as circumstantial evidence. For example, if someone is suspected of committing a violent crime and they have fresh wounds on their knuckles, this could suggest their involvement. However, it does not directly prove they committed the crime.
14. Predictive Statements: If someone predicts an event that later happens, their statement can serve as circumstantial evidence. For example, if a person declares their intent to harm another and the other person ends up hurt, it builds a suggestive case, though it doesn’t provide direct proof of actions.
15. Activity Patterns: Patterns of activity that correlate with criminal events can be circumstantial evidence. For instance, if a series of burglaries happen every time a particular person is in town, this pattern might suggest their involvement, but it is not definitive, direct evidence of guilt.
16. Motive: The presence of a strong motive for committing a crime can act as circumstantial evidence. If someone stands to gain significantly from a crime, that could suggest their involvement, but it is not direct proof of guilt.
17. Knowledge of the Crime Scene: A suspect’s detailed knowledge of the crime scene, especially if it is not a common knowledge, can form circumstantial evidence. If someone knows hidden or specific details about a robbery location, it could suggest involvement, but does not directly implicate them in the act.
18. Deception or Lies: If a person is caught lying about their whereabouts or actions around the time of a crime, this can be seen as circumstantial evidence of guilt. However, a lie does not directly prove participation in the crime.
19. Lack of Surprise or Shock: If a person shows an unnatural lack of surprise upon learning about a crime, this could be considered circumstantial evidence, suggesting that they had foreknowledge of the incident. However, it does not directly implicate them in the act.
20. Flight from Crime scene: Running away from a crime scene can be viewed as circumstantial evidence of guilt. If a person was seen running away from the location of a crime just after it occurred, this may suggest they were involved. However, it does not directly prove they committed the act.
21. Spotty Work Attendance: Inconsistent or suspiciously timed absences from work may be viewed as circumstantial evidence. If a person is absent only on the days when money goes missing from the office, it could suggest involvement, but it is not direct proof of theft.
22. Inconsistent Statements: Contradictory statements made by a person regarding a specific event could serve as circumstantial evidence. For instance, changing accounts about where a person was at the time of a crime can raise suspicions, but it does not directly place them at the crime scene.
23. Presence of Suspicious Materials: Finding suspicious items like mask, gloves, lock picking tools, or other equipment related to a crime in someone’s possession may serve as circumstantial evidence, but it does not directly prove they used these materials in committing a crime.
24. Association with Known Criminals: A person’s relationship with known criminals can serve as a circumstantial evidence. If someone often spends time with individuals known for theft, it might raise suspicions if a local robbery occurs. However, their associations don’t directly prove that they committed a crime.
25. Evidence of Cover-up Actions: Efforts to conceal or dispose of potential evidence can be viewed as circumstantial evidence of guilt. If a person was seen washing a suspiciously stained shirt shortly after a violent crime occurred nearby, it could suggest their involvement but it does not directly prove they committed the act.
Evidence is generally split into two categories: circumstantial (indirect) and direct. They play complementary roles in establishing facts and truths (Gehl & Plecas, 2017).
Direct evidence refers to information that does not need further inference (Heller, 2006). It “shows” rather than “suggests.” For example, if you see an apple falling from a tree, you directly saw it happening. This is direct evidence of gravity.
Circumstantial evidence, on the other hand, requires an added layer of inference to “connect the dots.” This evidence supports the facts, but doesn’t directly present them. For example, if you saw the apple on the ground beneath the tree, but didn’t see it fall, then this is indirect evidence suggesting the apple fell (Zamir, Ritov & Teichman, 2014).
Here’s a table contrasting the two:
| Criteria | Direct Evidence | Indirect (Circumstantial) Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Evidence that directly supports a fact. It does not require inference to support the facts. | Circumstantial evidence requires interpretation or inferential reasoning to come to the conclusion. |
| Example | A first-hand eyewitness testimony of an event. | Fingerprints found at the scene of a crime. |
| Reliability | Often considered more straightforward and reliable, but it can at times still be flawed, such as due to human error and bias. | Can be reliable, especially as a contributor among other pieces of evidence, but requires linking pieces of evidence to come to conclusions. |
| Admissibility in Court | Generally admissible in court if it is relevant and credible (Lyle, 2019). | Can also be admissible in court, but the prosecution or defense needs to illustrate its relevance and argue why the inferences are reasonable. |
| Interpretation | Often requires less interpretation as it shows rather than tells. | Requires more interpretation and reasoning to connect it to the facts of the case (Chapman, 2013). |
| Strength | Can be powerful if credible, especially if multiple sources of direct evidence corroborate each other. | Its strength increases when multiple pieces come together to paint a consistent picture. |
| Limitations | Can be subject to human biases, errors, or manipulation (Heller, 2006; Zariski, 2014). | Requires more steps to establish the connection (Zamir, Ritov & Teichman, 2014), and there’s often room for alternative explanations. |
| Dependency | Stands on its own in terms of proving a fact. | Often needs other evidence to support or make sense of its relevance. |
| Vulnerability to Counterarguments | May be vulnerable if there are inconsistencies in the account or evidence of bias. | Vulnerable to alternative explanations that might explain the evidence in a different way. |
Circumstantial evidence, while indirect, possesses considerable value in its capacity to provide a composite picture and context to the matter at hand. It fills in gaps where direct evidence may be lacking, thereby fortifying claims and arguments in various scenarios, from court cases to everyday deductions. However, its inherent weakness lies in the need for interpretive and inferential reasoning which can sometimes lead to subjective conclusions or errors. Thus, while circumstantial evidence is immensely helpful, it should be utilized with caution and corroborated with direct evidence whenever possible.
Cane, P., & Tushnet, M. V. (2003). The Oxford handbook of legal studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Chapman, F. E. (2013). Introduction to Legal Studies. Los Angeles: Nelson Education.
Gehl, R., & Plecas, D. (2017). Introduction to criminal investigation: Processes, practices and thinking. Justice Institute of British Columbia.
Heller, K. J. (2006). The cognitive psychology of circumstantial evidence. Michigan Law Review, 241-305.
Lyle, D. P. (2019). Forensics for dummies. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Zamir, E., Ritov, I., & Teichman, D. (2014). Seeing is believing: the anti-inference bias. Ind. LJ, 89, 195.
Zariski, A. (2014). Legal literacy: An introduction to legal studies. Athabasca University Press.
