Get Blank Chain Of Custody Form 2020-2024

Chain of custody always begins with crime scene specialists, or the professionals conducting the crime scene investigation. When evidence is first found on a crime scene, steps have to be taken to document where that evidence was found.

An example of chain of custody would be the recovery of a bloody knife at a murder scene: Officer Andrew collects the knife and places it into a container, then gives it to forensics technician Bill. Forensics technician Bill takes the knife to the lab and collects fingerprints and other evidence from the knife.

For example, if a prosecutor in a murder case wanted to introduce a knife found at the crime scene, they'd have to establish a chain of custody to prove that it was in fact the knife found at the scene and not some other knife.

The chain of custody is the most critical process of evidence documentation. It is a must to assure the court of law that the evidence is authentic, i.e., it is the same evidence seized at the crime scene. It was, at all times, in the custody of a person designated to handle it and for which it was never unaccounted.

Definition(s): A process that tracks the movement of evidence through its collection, safeguarding, and analysis lifecycle by documenting each person who handled the evidence, the date/time it was collected or transferred, and the purpose for the transfer.

For example, suppose you got involved in a car accident and then had your blood drawn so the police could see if you were drunk driving. In such a case, if the blood evidence was mislabeled or mixed up with other blood samples in the lab, it may be suppressed.

What Information Should be Included in a Chain of Custody Document? Date and time of collection. Location of collection. Name of investigator(s) Name or owner of the media or computer. Reason for collection. Matter name or case number. Type of media. Serial number of media if available.

The term “Chain of Custody” form is commonly referred in acronym usage as a CCF or CoC, and references a document or paper trail showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of physical and electronic evidence of a human specimen test.