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Chain of Custody

Home > Evidence Handling Procedures > Laboratory Evidence Handling > Chain of Custody
Computer screen with an electronic evidence tag displayed

Electronic evidence tag

Image courtesy of STARLIMS Corporation

Passage of evidence into the control of the laboratory must be effected with proper attention to chain of custody.  Records of the receipt, within-laboratory transfers, and disposition of evidence out of the custody of the laboratory must be complete and permit full reconstruction of events. 

Computer-based laboratory information management systems (LIMS) are now widely used; many systems permit integration of analysis data with chain-of-custody information.  Many jurisdictions have their own standard forms to record receipt and internal and external evidence transfers.

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