What is the term for the process of legally gathering evidence of a crime?

The term for the process of legally gathering evidence of a crime is criminal investigation. This encompasses a series of procedures executed by law enforcement agencies, which include collecting, analyzing, and preserving evidence to establish whether a crime has been committed and identifying the individuals responsible for it. A criminal investigation involves various techniques, such as interviews, surveillance, and the examination of physical evidence at crime scenes.

By focusing on the systematic approach to gathering and handling evidence, criminal investigation ensures that information is collected in a way that is admissible in court. This allows for the due process of law to be maintained and protects the rights of individuals involved in the investigation.

While the other terms relate to aspects of the criminal justice process, they do not specifically refer to the overarching process of gathering evidence. Crime scene analysis is a part of a criminal investigation but is limited to examining a specific location where a crime has occurred. Judicial review pertains to the judiciary's examination of laws and cases, not the collection of evidence. The evidentiary process refers more to the handling and use of evidence within a legal framework rather than the method of gathering it.