Packaging for Transportation

Use plastic bags for the transportation of biological evidence only when there are excessive body fluids and possible contamination of people and other evidence items. Use paper packaging if saturation is not a possibility.

Never package wet or moist body fluids in plastic bags for long periods of time. This promotes bacterial growth and evidence contamination, which can lead to DNA degradation.

Transportation and Short-Term Storage

Before collecting any evidence at a crime scene, secure a place for temporary storage. This will help to prevent any degradation or contamination of biological evidence.

Direct sunlight and warmer conditions may cause DNA to degrade more rapidly. Avoid storing evidence in places that may get hot, such as the trunk of a police car. To best preserve biological evidence, store in a cool dry environment.

Back Forward