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Evidence Handling Procedures (The Crime Scene (Location of Evidence -…
Evidence Handling Procedures
Types of Evidence
Drug Evidence - Includes substances that may be deemed legal or illegal
Other Evidence Types - Evidence may also be collected/documented like crime scene reconstruction, questioned documents, toxicology, and computer crimes
Biological Evidence - Any type of bodily fluids. PPE must be worn by the collector to ensure safety and prevent contamination
Class and Individual Characteristics - Class characteristics are those that more general and refer to a specific group. Whereas individual characteristics are those that are unique to a particular item and a characteristic that no other object has except that one.
Physical Evidence - any tangible item or prints. Includes trace evidence which are very small but also tangible.
Associative Evidence
Examples include fingerprints, transfered blood, semen, saliva, hair, paint, or soil
Value of Associative Evidence - these types of evidence can helpan investigation determine whether a crime was committed, the amount of occurrences, the prolonged existence of the evidence, and the ability to determine other possible explinations
The Crime Scene
Location of Evidence - Depending on where a crime was committed, different evidence collection strategies are used. Some of which include spiral, parallel, grid, adn zones
Collection of Evidence - The evidence collected at a crime scene may either be identified then and there or it may need to be sent to a lab to be tested and identified
Chain of Custody - Each piece of evidence comes with a chain of custody that includes information like the unique identifier, item description, signature of the person who collected the item, time and date of collection, where it was found
Preservation and Packaging - Evidence is tytpically packaged in paper bags. However plastic containers may also be used
Recording the Scene - Drawings, photographs, videos, and audio recordings are all ways in which a crime scene should be documented
Firearms and Fired Ammunition Components - All firearm evidence needs be documented and contain a chain of custody especially when shipped out
Protecting the Scene - Most importantly, the scene should be contained and the number of people who enter a scene must be minimal.
Unfired Ammunition - Needs to be delivered by hand and not through shipping due to many hazards
Evidence Submission
Documentation - There are many vital pieces of information about evidence that need to documented when subnitting it. Some of which include the agency number, chain of custody, the summary report, etc.
Receipt of Evidence - Each time a piece of evidence is submitted to a lab, a reciept is filled out and aids with the chain of custody
Laboratory evidence Handling
Integrity - To ensure the integrity of evidence, they must be stored in specific ways
Chain of Custody - Whoever worked on a piece of evidence must document that in the chain of custody. More recently, these are computer generated
Case Tracking Within the Laboratory
Storage Options - Depending on the type of evidence will determine how and where it will be stored
Physical Integrity of Evidence - There are a number of rules that come into play when storing a piece of evidence and also ensuring its integrity
Evidence Distribution - Whoever breaks the seal for a piece of evidence becomes the hub of the chain of custody
Controlled Access - Limiting the amount of people present during evidence examination ensures that contamination is limited
Case Assignment - A programs that lists of tests needed to be done on a piece of evidence.
High Security - Some pieces of evidence that are high in value also have additional protocols that protect the examiner as well as the piece of evidence itself
Forensic LIMS - Computer software where analysts can document any test results, or any additional tests that need to be done
Firearm and Toolmark Examination Consideration
Latent Fingerprints - Fingerprints on tools or firearms are typically lifted due to the print potentiall being distored after packing and/or during removal
Gunshot Residue - Tests may be done on the residue itself. Reconstruction can also be done
Trace Evidence - May include hair evidence that can be tested for DNA
Metal Smears - These are typically noticed under the microscopes where comparative analysis may be done
Biological - Tools used in a crime may contain biological evidence like blood
Tilstone J William, Dillon, Jr. H John. “Module 06 :: Evidence Handling Procedures” Firearm Examiner Training, projects.nfstc.org/firearms/.