Evidence Tracking Evidence Tracking Name Class Date Professor Evidence Tracking Evidence is essential to solving any case and proving the guilt of an offender in a court of law. Once a crime has been reported the first step of the responding officer is to secure the crime scene to ensure it is properly preserved until forensic investigators can arrive on the scene. The evidence collection process begins with thoroughly documenting the crime scene. The process begins with a walk through of the crime scene in order to identify potential evidence and to develop an idea of what occurred at the crime scene. Once the evidence has been identified the evidence collection process will begin with collecting evidence that is fragile or easily damaged or destroyed. In the rape scenario DNA evidence is crucial to proving a crime occurred and showing the guilt of the offender. Rape cases are hard to prosecute and require physical evidence to prove the act of rape even occurred. In a majority of cases it is the word of the victim against the word of the perpetrator. DNA evidence can provide conclusive evidence that a sexual assault occurred and point to the guilty offender. In the rape scenario evidence that was located and will need to be collected is the semen on the comforter and the tissue located in the trash can. This evidence can contain valuable DNA that points directly to the offender. The semen and the tissue can contain the DNA profile of the offender and the tissue. The evidence collection process begins first by identifying the evidence in a walk through and then properly documenting the evidence. Documenting the evidence is an essential step in the collection process. This begins with photographing the evidence where it sits in order to show the court where the evidence was located and in what condition. Once the evidence has been photographed it must be collected using uniform collection standards. The comforter that was located contained a semen stain that must be collected in order to develop DNA on the criminal suspect. Most items of evidence will be collected in paper containers such as packets, envelopes, and bags and liquid items can be transported in non-breakable, leak proof containers (Schiro, 2006). When collecting DNA from the comforter the forensic technician will mark the wet stain with a permanent marker in order to make it easier to locate during the DNA analysis. The technician will then wait for the comforter to air dry before placing it in a clean package and properly sealing and documenting for transportation. The second piece of evidence that was located at the crime scene was a tissue in a waste paper basket. The tissue will need to be collected using a pair of tweezers or using a pair of gloves and then be placed in a plastic container. The plastic container will need to be sealed and then properly documented for transportation. Documentation does not include j ...

1. Evidence Tracking
Evidence Tracking
Name
Class
Date
Professor
Evidence Tracking
Evidence is essential to solving any case and proving the
guilt of an offender in a court of law. Once a crime has been
reported the first step of the responding officer is to secure the
crime scene to ensure it is properly preserved until forensic
investigators can arrive on the scene. The evidence collection
process begins with thoroughly documenting the crime scene.

2. The process begins with a walk through of the crime scene in
order to identify potential evidence and to develop an idea of
what occurred at the crime scene. Once the evidence has been
identified the evidence collection process will begin with
collecting evidence that is fragile or easily damaged or
destroyed.
In the rape scenario DNA evidence is crucial to proving a
crime occurred and showing the guilt of the offender. Rape
cases are hard to prosecute and require physical evidence to
prove the act of rape even occurred. In a majority of cases it is
the word of the victim against the word of the perpetrator. DNA
evidence can provide conclusive evidence that a sexual assault
occurred and point to the guilty offender. In the rape scenario
evidence that was located and will need to be collected is the
semen on the comforter and the tissue located in the trash can.
This evidence can contain valuable DNA that points directly to
the offender. The semen and the tissue can contain the DNA
profile of the offender and the tissue.
The evidence collection process begins first by identifying
the evidence in a walk through and then properly documenting
the evidence. Documenting the evidence is an essential step in
the collection process. This begins with photographing the
evidence where it sits in order to show the court where the
evidence was located and in what condition. Once the evidence
has been photographed it must be collected using uniform
collection standards. The comforter that was located contained a
semen stain that must be collected in order to develop DNA on
the criminal suspect. Most items of evidence will be collected in
paper containers such as packets, envelopes, and bags and liquid
items can be transported in non-breakable, leak proof containers
(Schiro, 2006).
When collecting DNA from the comforter the forensic
technician will mark the wet stain with a permanent marker in
order to make it easier to locate during the DNA analysis. The
technician will then wait for the comforter to air dry before
placing it in a clean package and properly sealing and

3. documenting for transportation. The second piece of evidence
that was located at the crime scene was a tissue in a waste paper
basket. The tissue will need to be collected using a pair of
tweezers or using a pair of gloves and then be placed in a
plastic container. The plastic container will need to be sealed
and then properly documented for transportation.
Documentation does not include just sketching and
photographing the evidence located at the crime scene but also
includes detailing every step of the evidence collection process,
transportation, and steps taken in the analysis of the evidence at
the lab. Documenting includes ensuring the person that collect
the evidence labels the document with their name, date, time,
number, and the steps that were taken in the collection process.
When the evidence is transported these steps also need to be
documented. The person transporting the evidence needs to
document time and date evidence was transported and by whom.
Once the evidence reaches the lab for analysis each step in the
process must also be carefully documented.
Documenting every step in the evidence collection,
transportation, and analysis process is known as the chain of the
custody. The chain of custody is defined as the witnessed,
written record of all of the individuals who maintained
unbroken control over the items of evidence (Byrd, 2009). The
chain of custody shows the court where the evidence was
located and shows exactly what steps were taken to collect,
transport, and analysis the evidence. The chain of evidence
establishes proof for the court that shows who had contact with
evidence, circumstances surrounding the collection of evidence,
and any changes to the evidence.
Processing protocols are the uniform standards that must be
followed when collecting evidence or processing a crime scene.
These protocols as discussed previously include preserving the
evidence, conducting a walk through, sketching the scene,
photographing the scene, using standardized methods to collect
evidence, document the evidence, and lastly transport the
evidence to the forensic lab. The evidence located at the crime

4. scene must be collected using processing protocols to protect
the integrity of the evidence that is located.
Preserving DNA evidence is one of the most crucial steps
that will be taken by forensic personnel. It falls to the
responding police officers to quickly and properly secure a
crime scene to ensure that evidence is not lost, damaged, or
destroyed. DNA evidence can be extremely fragile and requires
the roper processing controls and the preservation of the
evidence. When processing DNA evidence, which has been
transported to the forensic lab, it is essential to run negative
controls and apply background controls through the entire
process (Riley, 2005). This will ensure any containment is
identified so the evidence does not be contaminated during the
analysis process.
The potential DNA evidence on the tissue would be
considered to be trace evidence because there is a possibility
that minute amounts of DNA may be present on the evidence.
Trace evidence is physical evidence fund in the smallest
amounts and includes skin cells, fibers, and hair. The physical
evidence located on the comforter is considered biological
evidence or body fluids and can contain valuable DNA evidence
that will point directly to a criminal suspect. DNA evidence can
be located on the comforter through the use of ultra violet lights
or chemicals.
Physical evidence is essential to the success of any criminal
case. While many cases are solved with circumstantial evidence,
physical evidence provides the court with more definitive
evidence of the criminal defendant’s guilt. In order to ensure
that physical evidence can be presented in court it must first be
properly collected following uniform standards and it must be
properly documented each step of the way. If evidence is not
collected using uniform standards or is not properly documented
there is no clear chain of custody. When the chain of custody
has been broken the evidence will no longer be eligible for the
court process.
If physical evidence is thrown out of court a guilty offender

5. could go free. The chain of custody ensures that the court is
aware of every step taken with the physical evidence and can
prove the evidence being presented in court is the evidence that
was located at the crime scene. The proof is established through
the chain of custody and ensures the physical evidence is
eligible for the court process. In order to prove the guilt of an
offender there must be evidence pointing to a criminal offender
that leaves no reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury. In the
case of the rape crime scene the evidence that is collected will
be crucial to identifying the suspect as well as proving their
guilt.
References
Byrd, M. (2009). Proper Tagging and Labeling of Evidence for
Later Identification. Retrieved
November 19, 2012 from http://www.crime-scene-
investigator.net/tagging.html
Riley, D. (2005). DNA Testing: An Introduction For Non-
Scientists An Illustrated Explanation.
Retrieved November 19, 2012 from
http://www.scientific.org/tutorials/articles/riley/riley.html
Schiro, G. (2006). Collection and Preservation of Evidence.
Retrieved November 19, 2012 from
http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/evidenc3.html

6. Name
Class
Date
New Security Employee Guide
Evidence Acquisition and Management
Criminal and Civil Responsibility
Secure Evidence

7. Preserve Evidence
Document Evidence
When conducting a criminal investigation in the security setting
it requires the security personnel to understand and respect the
legal and ethical obligations. Security personnel have a legal
obligation to protect the rights of the citizen and an ethical
obligation not to violate the rights of the suspect (Beaty, 2011).
Just like in a criminal investigation with law enforcement,
security personnel must first secure the evidence so it can be
preserved and the evidence left where it is located so it can be
carefully document. Evidence need to be photographed where it
is located and if it is involved in a criminal investigation must
be left for the police to collect.
2
Evidence Acquisition and Management
Chain of Evidence
Protect integrity
Exclusionary Rule
Secure Custodian

8. One of the most important aspects in managing evidence is to
ensure the evidence is properly preserved to avoid becoming
damaged, lost or destroyed but also it is in the documentation of
the evidence. In order to protect the chain of evidence every
step of the evidence preservation and collection must be
carefully documented. When the evidence steps are not properly
documented the result is the evidence becomes vulnerable to
being excluded from the court process. Based on the
“exclusionary rule any evidence that is illegally collected or not
properly documented is vulnerable form being excluded from
the court process. Once evidence is collected and documented it
must be placed in the hands of s secure custodian. In criminal
cases law enforcement is the best custodian for the evidence.
3

9. Administrative and Personnel Investigations
Wrong Doing or Misconduct
Legal and Ethical Obligation
Everyday Work Situation
Not Criminal Investigation
In the administrative or personnel investigation the actions of
the employee are not criminal but against the policies of the
organization resulting in an investigation. The administrative
investigation involves an everyday work situation where the
employee has engaged in some type of wrongdoing or
misconduct. The goal is to develop factual information in order
to determine who is responsible and develop an effective course
of action (NPS, 2012). The investigator still has a legal and
ethical obligation to the employees under scrutiny and must act
in accordance with the law and policies and procedures of the
organization as well as keep in mind there ethical obligation.
4

10. Administrative and Personnel Investigations
Question Witnesses
Response Private and Confidential
Credible and Factual Information
What, When, Why, Where, Who
The administrative or personnel investigation is usually the
result of a complaint or an action that caused harm for the
organization. The administrative investigation involves
developing factual information through interviewing witnesses
and developing documentation. The administrative investigation
is similar to the criminal investigation in that the goals of the
investigation is to determine who is responsible, why they
committed the wrong doing, where it occurred, and when it
happened. The responses obtained by witnesses must be kept
private and confidential and only factual information developed
in order to make an informed decision on who is to blame as
well as to determine the type of response by the organization.
5
References
Beaty, A. (2011). Evidence Management. Retrieved November

11. 25, 2012 from
http://www.cityofws.org/Home/Departments/Police/Articles/Evi
denceManagement
National Park Service. (2006). Conducting an Administrative
Investigation. Retrieved November 25, 2012 from
http://www.nps.gov/training/tel/Guides/Conducting_Admin_Inv
estigations
New Security
New Security Employee Guide
Name
Class
Date
Professor

12. New Security Employee Guide
Evidence Acquisition and Management
Security personnel are not under the same restrictions as
law enforcement when acquiring evidence but in order to ensure
the rights of the citizens are not violated when obtaining
evidence, in order to avoid criminal or civil responsibility,
security personnel will be expected to follow company
guidelines and procedures. The first policy for the security
employee is to collect evidence in a fashion which does not
compromise the nature of the evidence and use the proper
protective measures to ensure the evidence does not become
damaged, lost or destroyed. The chain of evidence must be
clearly documented to ensure in criminal cases the evidence can
be used in a court of law.
In any form of security evidence management is the process
for the proper collection, processing, maintenance, and
protection of evidence that is required in order to maintain the
integrity and credibility of the evidence (Beaty, 2011). Once
evidence is located it needs to be properly preserved by
securing the area where the evidence was located and then
reported to the police. Evidence that is not properly collected
can be damaged or destroyed making it impossible to use in
court and if not properly collected could be excluded by the
court process. In order to ensure that any evidence that is
located can be protected in order to be used against criminal

13. suspect’s security personnel must document the location of
evidence as well as time or date. Evidence should be
photographed and then secured for collection by law
enforcement.
Evidence that is collected for the use of security
investigations, not involving law enforcement, will require
security personnel to collect the evidence before warehousing it
with a secure custodian. The secure custodian will protect the
chain of evidence. Evidence that is acquired will be secured for
collection and disposed off if no longer needed or case is
successfully resolved. Any evidence gathered involving
criminal cases will be kept until collected by police or criminal
case is resolved. Evidence will be collected following the
formal standards of the organization and properly managed until
the time it is returned to owner or destroyed.
Administrative and Personnel Investigations
The security employee guide concerning administrative and
personnel investigations includes teaching employees about the
rights of criminal suspects and their legal responsibilities as
well as how to conduct an interview and the difference in the
interrogation. The administrative investigation is different from
the criminal investigation in that the administrative
investigation involves average workday situations that do not
involve criminal behavior. An investigation consists of any
deliberate effort to obtain or develop information in order to
identify facts or to determine an appropriate course of action
within the requirements established by law, regulations and
labor agreements (NPS, 2006). The purpose is to gather enough
evidence to make a informed decision on a course of action.
The investigator will gather facts, similar to a criminal
investigation, by interviewing other employees or stakeholders
that may have information concerning the work situation. The
goal is not to falsely accuse or develop an opinion but instead to
use facts to make a decision about the situation will be handled.
In these types of investigation the employee has engaged in
some type of wrongdoing or misconduct. For example the

14. employee may have failed to complete a task that resulted in the
loss of a client or has displayed a pattern of tardiness. A
criminal investigation would involve theft or other crimes such
as bribery. Because there is no crime the course of action will
involve punishment.
The administrative or personnel investigation is usually the
result of a complaint or an action that caused harm for the
organization. The investigator will question witnesses and keep
any responses private and confidential. The investigator should
focus only on the facts and ignore any rumor or speculation. All
information that is collected should be carefully documented
and the investigation should comply with the law and never
violate rights of the employee being investigated. Once credible
and factual data has been gathered a report should be written
that determines what, when, why, and where the alleged
incident happened s well as who was responsible. The report
should also include recommendations for punishment.
References
Beaty, A. (2011). Evidence Management. Retrieved November
25, 2012 from
http://www.cityofws.org/Home/Departments/Police/Articles/Evi
denceManagement
National Park Service. (2006). Conducting an Administrative
Investigation. Retrieved November
25, 2012 from
http://www.nps.gov/training/tel/Guides/Conducting_Admin_Inv
estigations