MSCTC Evidence Handling & Chain of Custody 2

Question 1

What does the term 'fungible evidence' refer to in law enforcement?

Accepted Answer

Interchangeable items of the same nature, such as currency or bulk narcotics

Answer

Evidence that is easily contaminated by touch

Answer

Evidence that must be kept refrigerated to prevent spoilage

Answer

Digital evidence distributed across multiple storage devices

Question 2

What is the primary purpose of a property receipt given to a suspect when items are seized?

Accepted Answer

To document what was taken and provide legal notification of the seizure

Answer

To allow the suspect to reclaim items from the property room immediately

Answer

To document only high-monetary-value items for insurance purposes

Answer

To satisfy the department's internal auditing requirements

Question 3

How should a digital device such as a cell phone be handled when collected as evidence at a crime scene?

Accepted Answer

Isolate it from wireless networks using a Faraday bag and document its power state

Answer

Power it on to check for relevant content before packaging

Answer

Place it in a standard evidence bag without special precautions

Answer

Upload its contents immediately to a secure cloud service for preservation

Question 4

Which of the following actions would constitute a break in the chain of custody?

Accepted Answer

An officer taking evidence home overnight without authorization

Answer

Transferring evidence with a fully completed transfer form

Answer

Storing evidence in a locked and access-controlled property room

Answer

Submitting evidence to a certified and accredited forensic laboratory

Question 5

What is the best practice when collecting trace evidence such as hair or textile fibers from a crime scene?

Accepted Answer

Use clean forceps and place each sample in a separate sealed paper envelope

Answer

Pick them up with clean fingers and place all samples in one plastic bag

Answer

Vacuum the entire crime scene and sort samples in the laboratory later

Answer

Photograph only, as trace evidence is too fragile to physically collect

Question 6

Under what circumstances is it appropriate to release physical evidence to the defense attorney?

Accepted Answer

Only after obtaining court authorization or following established legal discovery protocols

Answer

Whenever the attorney makes a written request directly to the evidence room

Answer

Never, as physical evidence is the exclusive property of the prosecution

Answer

Only after the case has been fully closed and all appeals exhausted

Question 7

What is the recommended sequence of steps at a crime scene before any physical evidence is collected?

Accepted Answer

Photograph and sketch the entire scene before any evidence is moved or collected

Answer

Collect fragile evidence first to prevent contamination, then document

Answer

Conduct witness interviews before touching anything at the scene

Answer

Notify the prosecutor before any documentation or collection begins