What term describes the process of legally gathering evidence of a crime that has been or is being committed?

• A. Investigation
• B. Police Operation
• C. Criminal Investigation
• D. Evidence Collection

Answer: (C)

Criminal Investigation describes the formal, legally compliant process used by law enforcement to determine if a crime occurred, identify the suspect, and collect evidence that can be used in court. This term captures the full, structured effort to build a prosecutable case, including interviews, forensics, follow-up leads, documentation, warrants where needed, and maintaining chain of custody so evidence remains admissible.

The broader word investigation is accurate in everyday usage but isn’t specific to crimes or the legal framework. Evidence collection refers specifically to gathering items, not the whole investigative process. A police operation denotes a specific action or mission, not the ongoing process of solving a case.