- 01: Introduction
- 02: History
- 03: Propellants, Firearms, and Ammunition Development
- 04: Modern Firearms Manufacture
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Evidence Handling Procedures
- Introduction
- Objectives
- AFTE Knowledge and Ability Factors
- Types of Evidence
- Associative Evidence
- The Crime Scene
- Evidence Submission
- Laboratory Evidence Handling
- Case Tracking Within the Laboratory
- Firearm and Toolmark Examination Considerations
- Selected Bibliography
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
- Resources
Chain of Custody
Home > Evidence Handling Procedures > Laboratory Evidence Handling > Chain of Custody
Electronic evidence tag
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.
