Consider a murder weapon that is found in a suspect’s home. An investigator may have a “smoking gun” like this, but unless that evidence was obtained legally and protected through chain-of-evidence practices, it is worthless. It won’t stand up to court or public scrutiny.
As much as investigators spend time collecting evidence, they also spend time preserving the integrity of that evidence so that it may be used to close the case and/or prosecute the offenders.
This week, you follow the evidentiary process past the initial gathering to protection and analysis, ultimately developing conclusions based on the evidence
Identify the key roles in the chain of evidence.
Explain how each role contributes to the chain of evidence.
Where does the greatest responsibility lie for the proper handling of evidence?
Do assumptions made about evidence by law enforcement when building a case help or complicate a case? Explain your reasoning.
