NCJ Number
135612
Date Published
1991
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This training manual explains the specific procedures that police investigators, patrol officers, laboratory chemists, and evidence processors should use to handle, process, store, and manage narcotics evidence to reduce opportunities for corruption and ensure the admissibility of the evidence in court.
Abstract
The central legal issue in the admissibility of narcotics evidence in court is the collecting officer's ability to recognize the evidence as the same that was obtained from the defendant or the crime scene. This is possible only if the evidence is properly collected, marked, handled, and stored. The proper collection and management procedures include using the proper packaging materials and procedures, labeling evidence containers properly, taking appropriate safety precautions, and ensuring the evidence chain of custody. Endnotes, multiple-choice questions and answers, and brief description of a policy discussion paper on evidence control