Law Enforcement Evidence Collection and Crime Scene Management

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of maintaining 'chain of custody' for evidence?

Accepted Answer

To ensure evidence has not been tampered with and is admissible in court

Answer

To track the cost of evidence storage

Answer

To assign responsibility for evidence to a single officer

Answer

To allow multiple agencies to share evidence simultaneously

Question 2

When securing a crime scene, officers should FIRST:

Accepted Answer

Establish a perimeter to preserve the scene and limit access

Answer

Photograph all evidence

Answer

Interview witnesses on scene

Answer

Collect physical evidence before it degrades

Question 3

Locard's Exchange Principle states that:

Accepted Answer

Whenever two objects come into contact, a transfer of material occurs

Answer

Every crime has a motive that can be identified

Answer

Physical evidence is always more reliable than eyewitness testimony

Answer

DNA evidence is the gold standard in criminal investigations

Question 4

Which type of fingerprint is visible without enhancement techniques?

Accepted Answer

Patent fingerprint

Answer

Latent fingerprint

Answer

Plastic fingerprint

Answer

Subliminal fingerprint

Question 5

An officer should use what type of gloves when collecting biological evidence at a crime scene?

Accepted Answer

Latex or nitrile disposable gloves

Answer

Leather gloves

Answer

Cut-resistant gloves

Answer

No gloves are required if evidence is bagged immediately

Question 6

Which method is used to search a large outdoor crime scene systematically?

Accepted Answer

Grid search

Answer

Spiral search

Answer

Random spot-check search

Answer

Perimeter search only