Evidence Management

By
Dr. Deepak Gupta
 Dr. Edmond Locard:
Every criminal can be
connected to a crime
by small particles
carried from the
scene.
• Whenever 2 objects come in contact with one
another, a cross-transfer of physical evidence can
occur.
• The intensity, duration, and nature of the materials in
contact determine the extent of the transfer.
 Physical Evidence: It never lies
Physical evidence consists of any and all objects that can be
useful to prove or disprove a fact under investigation or to
evaluate the pattern of events occurred at the time of
commission of crime or simply saying any object that can
connect a crime and its victim or a crime and its perpetrator. An
investigator can effectively make use of the physical evidences
only if he properly recognizes it at the scene. As it is a crucial
link to reach the criminal so it plays a very critical role in
successfully solving the case? Therefore the approach towards
physical evidence should be objective, systematic and
thoughtful. They can tell a true story of the crime scene if they
are properly managed and examined carefully. Physical clues
initially though irrelevant may become crucial to successful
resolution of the case.
Physical Evidence
• Physical evidence refers to any material items that would be
present at the crime scene, on the victims, or found in a
suspect’s possession.
• Type of evidence forensic scientists are most interested in
• Forensic scientists will…
– Observe physical evidence
– Determine identity
– Determine origin
Physical evidence…

• Can be any material or object

• Take any form
– Large as a building
– Fleeting as an odor (smell or fragrance)
– Small as a hair
– Microscopic as DNA
• Much more reliable than testimonial evidence
What will evidence collected at a scene do for
the investigation?

• May prove that a crime has been committed

• Establish key elements of a crime
• Link a suspect with a crime scene or a victim
• Establish the identity of a victim or suspect
• Corroborate verbal witness testimony
• Exonerate the innocent.
• Give detectives leads to work with in the case
Common Types of Physical Evidence
Drug and toxic Resins, plastics Fingerprints
substance
Paints Explosive residues Hair

Gun shot residues Serial numbers Tissues

(GSR)
Firearms and Documents Pollen
ammunition
Impressions Fibers Wood material

Petroleum products Soil Feathers

Alcohols (esp. ethanol) Glass Bones

Rubber material Blood and other body Tool marks

fluids
Physical Evidence: It never lies
Evidence can come in any form. Some typical kinds of evidence that an
investigator might find at a crime scene includes:

Trace evidence (gunshot residue, paint chips, broken glass, unknown

chemicals, and drugs).
Impressions (fingerprints, footprints, bite marks, tyre tracks and tool
marks).
Body fluids (blood, semen, saliva, vomit).
Wood, soil and plants
Petroleum products.
Hair and fibers.
Weapons and firearms evidence (knife, guns, swords, bullet holes,
cartridge case).
Bomb Fragments/explosives.
Narcotics and poison residues.
Powder residue (firearm discharge residues).
Questioned documents (diaries, suicide note, phone books; also includes
electronic documents like answering machines and caller ID units).
Types of Evidence

Testimonial evidence includes oral or written

statements given to police as well as court
testimony by people who witnessed an event.
Physical evidence refers to any material items that
would be present at the crime scene, on the
victims, or found in a suspect’s possession.
Trace evidence refers to physical evidence that is
found in small but measurable amounts, such as
strands of hair, fibers, or skin cells.
THREE MAJOR TYPES OF EVIDENCE
•Direct Evidence
•Indirect Evidence
•Real Evidence
1. DIRECT EVIDENCE
a. Evidence which is a fact all by itself
b. It stands on its own two feet and without any other
explanation, proves the point
2. INDIRECT EVIDENCE
a. Also known as circumstantial evidence
b. It is that evidence that, in itself, does not directly prove the
fact in issue but establishes a certain fact or series of facts which
tend to prove certain elements of the case or question
3. REAL EVIDENCE 
a. Sometimes called demonstrative evidence
b. Real evidence speaks for itself, except for
identifying the object and establishing its
connection with the crime, it tells its own story
Types of Physical Evidence

1. Trace Evidence
2. Transient evidence
3. Conditional Evidence
4. Indirect Evidence
5. Circumstantial Evidence
6. Individual evidence
7. Class evidence
Trace Evidence

• Trace evidence refers to physical evidence

that is found in small but measurable amounts,
such as strands of hair, fibers, or skin cells.
Transient evidence
– Temporary evidence
– Can be easily changed or lost
– Usually observed by first officer on scene and must be
recorded at that time
• Examples?
– Odors
• Perfume, cigarette smoke, gas
– Temperature
• Coffee pot, car hood, water in bath tub, dead body
– Imprints
• Footprints in sand, fingerprints in dust, teeth marks in
perishable food
Conditional Evidence
• Produced by a specific action or event at the scene
• Must be observed and recorded
• Examples
– Lights
– Garage door
– Doors
– Windows
– Position of body
– Position of furniture
Indirect Evidence

• Evidence that does not prove or disprove a

fact in question
• Evidence providing only a basis for
inference about a disputed fact
• May prove something like the possession
of controlled substances or driving under the
influence
Circumstantial Evidence

• Evidence based on suggestion rather than personal

knowledge
• Implies a fact or event without actually proving it
• The more circumstantial evidence there is, the greater
it weighs
• Probability and statistics important
• Examples
– Blonde hair found in hand of murder victim with black
hair
– Size 10 sneaker print near the body
– Both of these limit the pool of suspects
Individual Evidence
• Material that can be related to a single source
• Individualization always involves a comparison
• Narrows an identity to a single person or thing
• Examples
– DNA
– Fingerprints
– Handwriting
– Some physical evidence
• Piece of glass that fits another piece like a jigsaw
puzzle
Class Evidence

• Material that can be associated with a

group of items that share properties or
characteristics
• Narrows an identity to group of persons
or things
• Examples
– Blue jeans
• We can use some individualization such
as length, style, brand, shade, surface
treatment but there are still thousands of
jeans like that
Value of Physical Evidence
• Can prove crime has been committed
– Gasoline at a scene of a fire
• Back up witness testimony or disprove it
– Test blood stains of suspects
• Link suspect with victim or crime scene
– Broken glass of headlight in cuff of suspects
pants at scene of hit and run
• Determine identity of people associated with
crime
– Fingerprints, DNA
• Allow investigators to reconstruct a crime
– Blood spatter patterns
Collection and packing of evidences:
Collection and packing of evidences:

This is one of the most crucial steps in the investigation of the

crime scene.
Keeping in mind the evidential value of every physical evidence
it should be handled and packed carefully and properly. If the
evidence is altered or destroyed during the process making it
inadmissible to the laboratory personnel and thus can’t aid in
the further investigation of the case. Hence it would be fruitful if
the methodology for the collection & packing of the physical
evidence is such that its integrity is maintained so that evidence
collected are also retained in its original condition as obtained
at the crime scene.
Collection and packing of evidences:

Collection and packing of the evidences differ depending

on the type of evidence and the substrate upon which it is
found. If the evidence is easily broken or can easily be lost,
the entire object should be collected and packaged, if size
and circumstances permit. Each different item or similar
items collected at different location must be placed in
separate containers to avoid cross contamination.
Each item of evidence collected should be marked for
identification by placing date, location, item and case
number. Seal the container and it should be signed by the
investigator.
Collection and packing of evidences:

Some commonly encountered evidences are collected and packed in

following ways:-
Blood stain if on large object, moistened the disinfected wash with
distilled water and wash the stained area. Take wash from the area close
the blood stain also, both clean should be air dried. Pack in the solid
container, avoid plastic containers. If blood stain is on clothing, the
stained area should be cut, air dried and packed in paper bags.
Seminal Stains if wet the article should be air dried thoroughly, wrap the
stained article in paper bags.
Hair and fiber should be closely searched and whenever possible submit
the article on which hair and fiber are found. If not possible individual
fiber or hair should be picked with the help of tweezers and forceps and
Collection and packing of evidences:

Documents should be packed in plastic sheet protector, they should not

be handled with bare hands, and care should be taken not to mark, alter or
deface it.
Glass particles should be collected properly and carefully with the help of
forceps, place them in solid containers, and never use loose envelopes.
For clothing and fabrics do not expose the wet item to excessive heat.
Allow the wet item to air dry naturally by hanging it on a clean hanger or
on a clean surface. The clothing should be packed in a clean paper bag,
don’t use plastic bags.
The articles containing the fingerprints and footprints must be touched as
little as possible. Plastic impressions are usually photographed but may
also be cast with a casting material to lift the impression. Latent fingerprint
impressions require some sort of developing technique to be seen by the
naked eye which are then lifted and photographed.
Collection and packing of evidences:

Bite marks are found many times in sexual assaults and

can be matched back to the individual who did the biting,
for this they should be photographed with all necessary
angles and view. If the bite mark has left an impression
then may be a cast can be made of it.
For paint fragments they should be collected in a paper
packet and placed in an envelope.
Forwarding evidence to FSL:
 Forwarding evidence to FSL:

After collection the packed should be properly sealed by

the investigator and a sample of seal impression is also
forwarded along with the exhibits to the laboratory by an
authorized messenger. It should be accompanied by an
authorized letter of the court requesting the laboratory
for the examination of the exhibits. Control samples
should also be sent along with the exhibits.
Maintaining Chain of custody:
 Maintaining Chain of custody:

Continuity of possession or chain of custody must be

established whenever evidence is presented in court as
an exhibit. The court will require proof that evidence
collected during an investigation and the evidence
ultimately submitted to the court are one and the same.
To prove that the integrity of the physical evidence has
been maintained, a chain of custody must be maintained.
This chain shows that who had contact with the
evidence, at what time and under what circumstances.
 Maintaining Chain of custody:

Thus following types of information is needed to establish the

chain of custody:-
Name or initials of the individual collecting the evidence and
each person subsequently having custody of it.
Date when it was collected and transferred.
Case number and type of crime.
Victim’s name.
Brief description of the item.
This information serves to prove the chain of custody to the
court and assists in admitting the items into evidence.