Input Information

For management purposes, LIMS inputs are normally customized to the expressed or perceived needs of a given forensic laboratory.

Generally the inputs can include basic items, such as these:

Laboratory file/case/submission number
Date evidence received
Submitting agency
Submitting agency investigative file number
Evidence listing and tracking data by item, type, and quantity
Type(s) of examination(s) requested
Examiner(s) assigned to an evidence submission or a particular examination
Chain-of-custody information
Bar coding of evidence items
Additional examinations (in series or concurrently) required as a result of trace evidence found
Estimated date for completion
Date of report(s)
Report contents
Quality assurance information

In addition, many forensic laboratories might include customized management and administrative data such as:

Case index reflecting the volume and complexity of the evidence submission based on a number of variables, including:
- Number of items submitted.
- Number of disciplines involved.
- Probable number of examinations required.
- Number of interrelated previous evidence submissions.
Case prioritization system.
Case assignment criteria to assist managers in balancing and maintaining an equitable caseload. All cases are not created equal and a single massive evidence submission can easily outweigh twenty or thirty straightforward submissions.

Some criteria to consider when assigning cases:
- Examiner’s experience level and training versus the volume and complexity of a new evidence submission
- Each examiner’s areas of qualification
- Priority assigned to a new case
- Previous submissions in the same or related cases