Preservation of Biological Evidence : Best Practices

Across the nation, headlines tell the story of evidence that has been mishandled, misplaced, lost, or destroyed. Often the blame for these mishaps is directed toward property and evidence custodians housed in law enforcement agencies nationwide. Many law enforcement agencies do not properly address, recognize, or support the efforts of their property rooms. Although these agencies bear ultimate responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the evidence, the real problem lies with a systemic failure to properly account for evidence from collection through final disposition. This failure reduces the public's confidence in the criminal justice system to produce just results in criminal and civil proceedings. This book discusses the best practices for evidence handlers; the use of DNA in solving cold cases; the effects of DNA advances on police property rooms; and provides insight on what every law enforcement officer should know about DNA evidence.