Biological Evidence Preservation Handbook: Best Practices for Evidence Handlers

• NCJ Number: 241951
• Date Published: April 2013
• Length: 73 pages
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Handbook

Annotation

This handbook offers guidance for individuals involved in the collection, examination, tracking, packaging, storing and disposition of biological evidence.

Abstract

This handbook offers best practices for biological evidence handlers and is divided into five main sections: retaining biological evidence, biological evidence safety and handling, packaging and storing biological evidence, tracking biological evidence chain of custody, and biological evidence disposition. Recommendations are made related to biological evidence storage, tracking, preservation, and disposition. While many of the recommendations relate to the physical storage, preservation, and tracking of evidence at the storage facility, this handbook also covers the transfer of the material between the storage facility and other locations and discusses how the evidence should be handled at these other locations. A glossary, which provides standard definitions of the technical terms used in this report, follows these sections. This handbook may be of value to crime scene technicians, law enforcement officers, healthcare professionals, forensic scientists, forensic laboratory managers, evidence supervisors, property managers, storage facility personnel, lawyers, testifying experts, court staff members and anyone else who may come in contact with biological evidence. References