Given the critical nature of managing forensic evidence, advanced tools are required to streamline the process and prevent errors. FileOnQ’s crime scene and forensic software solutions – Forensic Suite – are designed to meet the unique needs of forensic investigators, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies by providing an all-in-one platform to manage forensic evidence.
What does that mean exactly? The data-gathering fields within the Forensic Suite solutions are built specifically to gather highly detailed information about forensic evidence.
Capturing specialized crime scene and forensic data is often overlooked by law enforcement software and cannot be tailored to meet the specific needs of an organization. However, Forensic Suite offers tailorable software solutions that allows users to track specialized information. Data such as weather conditions, bloodstain measurements, latent print surface types, and other essential data can be easily captured on scene.
In today’s article, we’ll explore different categories of forensic evidence and how they should be managed to preserve the chain of custody. We will also highlight real-world examples of cases where mishandled evidence derailed investigations.
We will also discuss how forensic evidence management software like the Forensic Suite solutions can prevent these issues, streamline the process, and provide comprehensive evidence management control.
Understanding Forensic Evidence
Forensic evidence refers to any item or data that is collected and analyzed as part of a legal investigation. This evidence can be used to establish the events that occurred at a crime scene, identify suspects, and support or refute claims made by either the defense or prosecution.
The categories of forensic evidence include:
- Physical Evidence: Items like weapons, clothing, and trace elements such as fibers. Proper documentation and physical storage are essential to ensure these items are preserved without contamination.
- Biological Evidence: This includes blood, saliva, DNA, and other bodily fluids. Biological samples must be stored in conditions that prevent degradation, often requiring refrigerated or temperature-controlled environments. Chain of custody is crucial to prevent the introduction of new DNA or cross-contamination.
- Digital Evidence: From emails and text messages to digital files, photographs, and surveillance videos, digital evidence must be handled carefully to avoid tampering. Software tools are essential for ensuring that timestamps, metadata, and file integrity are preserved from the moment of collection.
- Chemical Evidence: Narcotics, toxins, and explosives fall under this category. Handling chemical evidence requires stringent safety protocols, with specific storage containers to prevent contamination or evaporation. Chain of custody must include records of who had access to these hazardous materials at each stage.
- Firearm and Ballistics Evidence: Guns, bullets, and shell casings are key pieces of evidence in many investigations. These items must be stored in a manner that prevents deterioration and maintains their original condition for ballistic analysis.
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Each of these types of evidence must be meticulously collected, stored, and tracked. Even small errors can lead to compromised evidence or legal challenges that may render the evidence inadmissible.
The Importance of Preserving Chain of Custody
Chain of custody refers to the documentation process that tracks who has handled the evidence, when it was accessed, and any changes in its condition. Maintaining this chain is essential for preserving the integrity of the evidence and ensuring its admissibility in court.
The documentation of each transfer, analysis, and storage event is critical to this process. In the past, this was typically done with handwritten records, which are prone to errors and tampering. However, with the rise of software solutions like Forensic Suite, maintaining the chain of custody has become significantly more reliable and efficient.
Failing to preserve the chain of custody can result in excluding key evidence from trial. For example, if a piece of DNA evidence was improperly logged or accessed by an unauthorized individual, defense attorneys could argue that the evidence may have been tampered with, even if it wasn’t. Without a secure and accurate chain of custody, any evidence can be questioned and dismissed.
Mishandled Evidence: Real-Life Consequences
One notable case involving mishandled evidence is that of Craig Richard Coley, who was wrongfully convicted of a double murder – his girlfriend and her young son – in 1978. Coley spent nearly 40 years in prison before being exonerated in 2017, largely due to the discovery that key evidence had been either mismanaged or overlooked during the investigation.
A proper forensic review, including new DNA testing, revealed that Coley had no connection to the crime. This case highlights how the mismanagement of evidence can result in devastating consequences, robbing an innocent person of decades of their life.
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Florida vs. Robert Hayes (2020)
In this case, Robert Hayes was convicted of murdering three women in the early 2000s, but it was forensic evidence from a fourth case that nearly caused major issues in the trial. A DNA sample, critical to linking Hayes to the crime, was mishandled during analysis and storage. The lab’s mishandling led to delays and questions about the chain of custody. Although the error was eventually corrected, it raised concerns about the integrity of forensic processes and could have risked the validity of key evidence.
People vs. Paul Skalnik (2021)
In this Florida case, Paul Skalnik was charged with fraud, but his past involvement in murder cases, where his testimony helped convict others, came under scrutiny when forensic evidence in one case was mishandled. Documents regarding critical forensic evidence were improperly stored and altered, leading to questions about whether the evidence had been tampered with. Although Skalnik was ultimately convicted, the mishandling of this forensic evidence raised significant concerns and prolonged the trial process.
Handling Different Categories of Forensic Evidence
Each type of forensic evidence requires specific handling procedures to ensure its integrity:
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Physical Evidence Handling: Physical evidence is often prone to contamination, especially in cases involving trace materials like fibers or fingerprints. Investigators must wear gloves, use sterile containers, and follow strict packaging protocols to prevent contamination. In addition, evidence must be sealed in tamper-evident packaging to demonstrate that it hasn’t been altered. Once logged, physical evidence should be stored in a secure facility with restricted access.
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Biological Evidence Handling: Biological samples, such as blood or DNA, are highly sensitive to environmental factors. These samples must be stored in controlled environments, often requiring refrigeration or freezing to prevent degradation. Proper labeling and secure packaging are vital, as is the documentation of each individual who accesses the evidence.
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Digital Evidence Handling: Digital evidence poses unique challenges because of its vulnerability to alteration. Copying files, accessing devices, or simply transferring data between systems can alter timestamps or metadata, which could render the evidence inadmissible. Using forensic software to collect and store digital evidence ensures the integrity of the original files, keeping track of all access and ensuring no unauthorized changes are made.
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Chemical Evidence Handling: Chemical evidence requires specialized storage to prevent contamination or degradation. For example, narcotics must be stored in tamper-evident packaging in humidity and temperature-controlled environments. The chain of custody is particularly important with chemicals, as any signs of mishandling can lead to contamination, which can affect test results.
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Firearm and Ballistics Evidence Handling: Firearms must be carefully handled to avoid removing or altering fingerprints or other marks. They should be stored in secure, climate-controlled facilities and handled only by authorized personnel to prevent contamination.
Forensic Suite: Powerful Evidence Control Center Solutions for Your Agency
Forensic evidence is the cornerstone of criminal investigations, bridging crime scenes and courtroom outcomes. Handling this evidence properly is crucial to ensuring justice is served, as mistakes can lead to severe consequences, including wrongful convictions or acquittals.
As we mentioned, the differentiators are the specialized, required data entry fields. Here’s an example of the type of detailed information the software gathers.
Key features of Forensic Suite…
- Document Chain of Custody Beginning in the Field: This enables accurate investigation timelines while reducing chain of custody and evidence integrity concerns and objections in court. Crime scene unit supervisors are assured crime scenes are being properly documented using best practices.
- Standardize Crime Scene Investigations with Consistent Documentation: Built-in tools such as required fields and instructional prompts allow a crime scene unit to record consistent data. Investigators quickly and accurately enter critical investigative information while processing scenes.
- Document Forensic Analysis and Findings: The software is configured to track forensic requests and findings all in one place. Requests can be submitted using the built-in ‘Request System.’ Investigators with the appropriate permission level can view the status of their requests without having to call or email the analyst.
- Customizable Reporting: Agencies can generate reports tailored to their specific needs, whether for internal audits or courtroom presentations. These reports can be customized to highlight specific aspects of the forensic evidence, such as how it was collected, handled, and tested.
- Comprehensive Scene and Evidence Management: Forensic Suite software solutions allow agencies to manage crucial investigative findings in one place, from the crime scene to the courtroom. Agencies can streamline investigations by linking related cases and pieces of evidence, tracking forensic requests and findings, and receiving notifications about investigation progress all in one system.
- Forensic Calculations: Automatically calculate the angle of impact for bloodstains, analyze patterns, and document surface data on multiple locations related to the same case.
By utilizing these digital tools, forensic teams can streamline evidence management, reduce the potential for errors, and ensure the integrity of forensic evidence throughout the entire investigative process.
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In summary…
Forensic evidence is a cornerstone of modern criminal investigations. However, managing this evidence correctly—from the point of collection to its final use in court—requires stringent handling procedures and reliable systems to ensure the chain of custody is never broken.
Different categories of forensic evidence, such as physical, biological, digital, and chemical evidence, all have unique handling requirements, which makes proper management even more crucial.
Mishandling forensic evidence can result in devastating consequences, including wrongful convictions or the failure to prosecute guilty individuals, as seen in cases like Craig Richard Coley’s wrongful conviction in 1978.
Managing forensic evidence is a highly sensitive task that requires strict protocols to ensure the integrity of the evidence and maintain an unbroken chain of custody. By implementing best practices and using advanced forensic evidence management systems like the Forensic Suite solutions, law enforcement agencies can significantly reduce the risk of human error, ensure the chain of custody is always intact, and maintain the trust of the legal system.
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