PRESERVATION AND

ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE
Arceo, L.
Arceo, A.
GOLDEN RULE OF CRIME
SCENE INVESTIGATION:
Do not touch, change or
alter anything until it
has been identified,
measured and
photographed.
 Basic Protocol for
Handling Evidence
•wear a sterile
suit covering
body, hair,
and shoes;
 Basic Protocol for
Handling Evidence
• wear latex or
chloroprene
gloves, and change
them often during
the collection
process
 Basic Protocol for
Handling Evidence
• wear a respirator to
reduce the amount of
dusts and mists from
fingerprint powder
or chemical
processing and
putrid decomposition
odors
DOCUMENTING THE
INVESTIGATION
 HOW TO DOCUMENT A CRIME SCENE

1. Still photos
2. Videos
3. Sketches
4. Notes
NOTES AND SKETCHES MUST
CONTAIN THE FF.
1. Address and
detailed
description of
crime scene
2. Date and time
police
investigation
started
3. Names of
investigators and
forensic experts who
collected the
evidence
4. Names of other
people present in
the investigation
5. Locations and
descriptions of
injuries on
victims/assailants
6. Specific location
of trace evidence in
crime scene
7. Time investigation
started and ended
 WHAT ARE USUALLY COLLECTED AND
PRESERVED AS EVIDENCE IN A CRIME
SCENE?
• Fingerprints • Shoeprints & Tire
• Bite Marks Tracks
• Broken Fingernails • Fracture Matches
• Questioned Documents • Hair, Fibers, Paint,
• Blood & Body Fluids Glass
• Other Trace Evidence
• Firearms & Toolmarks
HOW TO PRESERVE
EVIDENCE
 COLLECTING EVIDENCE
• carefully collect
the most fragile
evidence first,
before disturbing
the scene by
removing larger,
heavier, or less
fragile evidence
 COLLECTING EVIDENCE
•systematically
collect the
“top” layer of
evidence, to
memorialize or
photograph what
is found beneath
that evidence
 COLLECTING EVIDENCE
• collect
evidence in a
sterile,
careful, and
precise manner,
using sterile
instruments,
such as
tweezers.
WHY CAN’T I JUST TOUCH EVIDENCE?
- because it is
important to leave
the collected
materials in their
original state to
preserve the
authenticity of
evidence.
 Storing Evidence
1. place evidence inside individual
plastic envelopes and bags
2. tag for identification
3. avoid touching the evidence
4. use tamper-evident seals to
further preserve authenticity
UNDER NO
CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD
EVIDENCE CONTAINING
MOISTURE BE PACKAGED
IN PLASTIC OR PAPER
CONTAINERS FOR MORE
THAN TWO HOURS!
 Tracking Evidence
To establish proper chain-of-custody of the
evidence, investigators must track the
evidence from place to place, documenting
who retrieved, handled, transported and
received the evidence, specifying all dates
and times.
SCIENTIFIC
ANALYSIS
OF
EVIDENCE
 2 FOREMOST METHODS
1.Spectroscopy
2.Chromatography
 SPECTROSCOPY
•Use of light,
sound, or particle
emission to study
matter
•Used to determine
the chemical
composition of a
substance
 CHROMATOGRAPHY
•Method of
separating and
analyzing mixtures
of chemicals.
•Used in testing
DNA, drugs,
alcohol, toxic gas,
poisons, and
flammable
substances.