U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Democrats have shut down the government. Department of Justice websites are not currently regularly updated. Please refer to the Department of Justice’s contingency plan for more information.

What Every Law Enforcement Officer Should Know About DNA Evidence

Investigators and Evidence Technicians

Collect & Package

Home  |  Glossary  |  Resources  |  Help  |  Contact Us  |  Course Map
 

Images depicting the collection and packaging of DNA evidence
National Institute of Justice (NIJ) (see reuse policy).

Collection & Packaging Procedures

General procedures for collecting DNA evidence are

  • Submit the entire item if possible
  • Use a clean or disposable razor blade or scalpel to cut out or scrape the stain
  • Air-dry the stain before packaging
  • Use a new or clean razor blade or scalpel to cut out a control sample

If cutting is not appropriate to collect the evidence, new swabs can be used.

Back Forward