What practice helps maintain the integrity of collected items for evidence?

What practice helps maintain the integrity of collected items for evidence?

• A. Move items without documentation
• B. Maintain chain-of-custody for any collected items
• C. Document custody verbally only
• D. Use digital logs only

Answer: (B)

Maintaining chain-of-custody for collected items is essential to preserve evidence integrity. It creates an unbroken, auditable record of who handled the item, when it was touched, where it has been stored, and how it was transported or stored. This continuous log helps prevent tampering, loss, or substitutions and provides accountability from collection to presentation in court. Each transfer or handling event is documented with time, date, signatures, and proper packaging, so the item’s history is verifiable at every stage. Moving items without documentation breaks the trace and invites questions about authenticity. Relying on verbal notes alone lacks permanence and can be misinterpreted or lost, while digital logs, though useful, must be backed by solid physical controls to fully protect the item’s integrity.