Some of the best practices for evidence management include enforcing greater accountability, guaranteeing the integrity of the evidence, and optimizing workflows.
FREMONT, CA: Over the past few decades, the criminal justice system's growing dependence on forensic evidence has increased the workload for law enforcement property management. While maintaining the chain of custody, personnel and officers must make sure that forensic materials aren't polluted, deteriorated, or otherwise compromised at every level of the evidence management process. The absence of high-level, explicit guidelines for the management of evidence exacerbates the problem. Laws pertaining to the management and retention of evidence vary throughout jurisdictions, particularly in the United States.
The right course of action is unknown to many law enforcement authorities. Nonetheless, some groups, such as the Evidence Management Institute (EMI), are working to address the ambiguity surrounding the appropriate chain of custody. They have created a strict chain of custody guidelines that are applicable in many different law enforcement contexts.
Best practices of evidence management are as follows:
Document one's documentation: It is necessary to make sure one's albums cover the "chain" and the "custody," as advised by EMI. Before something terrible happens, a lot of law enforcement personnel, officers, and, occasionally, entire agencies don't realize how crucial thorough documentation is. Evidence may disappear or be improperly handled by a prosecutor, leading to its dismissal during trial. Then people point fingers.
Enforcing better accountability: It is crucial to make sure that employees don't cut corners or tamper with protocols. It may be possible for a manager to set suitable access restrictions between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The cops might be accustomed to taking liberties when it comes to evidence deposits or general access to the evidence lockers. Enhancing the accountability of all law enforcement personnel enhances the chain of custody.
Maintaining the evidence's integrity: If the evidence's integrity and security are compromised, documentation is useless. This is particularly true for high-liability evidence, such as weapons, drugs, and cash, or sensitive evidence, such as biomedical materials and SANE kits.
It is crucial to make sure there are adequate ventilation and temperature controls in place while storing sensitive evidence. This will shield the state of firearms, which could oxidize and deteriorate if improperly maintained, as well as biomedical supplies from deterioration. It is, therefore, more crucial than ever to improve the documentation and storage of evidence while it is in custody. Enforcing a stricter chain of custody procedure would help guarantee the accuracy of any agency's evidence and enhance the results of their court cases.
