CONTAMINATION CONTROL

By:
Decierra, Jayson
Disepeda, Jent Denise P.
CONTAMINATION
 It is the unwanted alteration of evidence that
could affect the integrity of the original
exhibit or the crime scene.
 This unwanted alteration of evidence can wipe

away original evidence transfer, dilute a

sample, or deposit misleading new materials
onto an exhibit.
CONTAMINATION
 Potential contamination of physical evidence
can occur at the crime scene, during the
packaging, collection and transportation of the
evidence to a secured facility or laboratory,
and during evidence analysis and storage.
 CRIME SCENE CONTAMINATIO
 Crime scene contamination usually results
through the actions of the personnel at the
scene. In general, the grater number of
personnel at the scene, the more likely it is that
the scene/evidence will be contaminated.
 The level of contamination risk to be expected

is related to the type of crime scene and

corresponding number of individuals who have
access to the scene.
Contamination can take place in any number of
ways including:

 Police or other first responders interfering with

evidence during a tactical investigative
response
 Suspects interfering with the crime scene to

cover up or remove evidence

 Victims or witnesses handling evidence
Contamination can take place in any number of
ways including:

 Animals, including pets, causing unwanted

transfer of evidence or even removal of evidence
through contact or consumption;
 Weather-related contamination due to rain, wind,

or snow diluting or washing away evidence; or

 Crime scene investigators failing to follow

proper crime scene management procedures and

causing contamination of exhibits or cross-
contamination between exhibits during their
investigation.
 Three Challenges for Investigators,
namely:

 Preventing contamination when possible;

 Controlling ongoing contamination; and

 Recording the known contamination that has

taken place.
Function of Contamination Control
 The aim of all contamination control activities
is to permanently ensure a sufficient level of
cleanliness in controlled environments. This is
accomplished by maintaining, reducing, or
eradicating viable and non-viable
contamination for either sanitary purposes or
in order to maintain an efficient rate of
production.
Common Types of Contamination are:

 People – Hair, fibre particles from bodies and clothes, also poor
hygiene leading to deposition of microorganisms
 Environment – Dust particles, contaminated air, work surfaces,
gases, movement ceilings, walls and floors
 Materials – Micro organisms on packaging, packaging also creates
particles, fibres, dust.
 Equipment – Moving parts shavings drive belts.
 Buildings – Paint flaking, rusty pipe work, poorly maintained
surfaces.
 Water – Micro organisms grow in water. equipment not cleaned
correctly left in a damp condition, spills not mopped up properly etc.
EQUIPMENT
 The equipment used in documenting and
processing crime scenes also represent a
possible source of contamination. Crime scene
personnel need to be cognizant of the possible
cross contamination that can be caused by their
equipment.
EQUIPMENT
 Equipment which should be decontaminated
includes, but is not limited to, their clothing,
their note pads, photography equipment,
sketching equipment and all processing
equipment in their crime scene kits.
 Required PPE consist of a mask, jumpsuit,

gloves, booties and head cover. All of these

items must be disposable.
DECONTAMINATION ZONE
 This safe zone or area is where the crime
scene equipment and PPE can be safely
cleaned, removed and properly discarded.
 The decontamination zone must contain the

appropriate cleaning supplies and all

equipment for the decontamination of the
person as well as their equipment. 
PACKAGING AND COLLECTION

 Evidence is packaged to prevent destruction

and contamination. New containers must be
used to package all evidence. 
 Containers must be properly sealed and

marked for identification at the crime scene.

TRANSPORTING EVIDENCE
 Transportation of the evidence from the scene
requires special consideration to prevent destruction
and contamination.
 To prevent contamination from the crime scene

personnel’s perspiration onto the packaging and then

on to the evidence, packages must always be handled
while wearing disposable gloves. Leakage from the
evidence containers can be contained by transporting
the evidence in an open top plastic container.
CRIME LABORATORY ANALYSIS

 After the evidence is properly received, it

usually goes to a temporary storage vault.
Potential leakage of other containers in this
vault or storage area, in general, may cause
contamination problems which need to be
addressed. Eventually, the evidence is
removed from the vault and taken to a section
of the laboratory for examination and analysis.