The evidence you’re likely to come across at a crime scene can vary greatly in size, type, and physical structure. No matter what you’re presented with, though, it’s up to you to capture all of the evidence you find and maintain its integrity; if you fail to do so, you may jeopardize your entire case when it goes to court. Let’s take a look at the best way to package digital evidence.

Maintaining the integrity of the evidence requires that you preserve it in the same condition in which you found it. To accomplish this task, you first have to choose packaging that is the proper size and material to fit the evidence. This is a key point. Don’t try to get by with dropping your evidence into a plastic grocery bag you found at home or whatever container is handy in your car or at the scene, and then expect it to hold up. Various types of evidence need special packaging, so you need to come to the scene prepared with an assortment of evidence envelopes, bags, tubes, and containers. The packaging should also be clean, and preferably new, to avoid contamination.

In addition, each piece of evidence should be packaged separately and then properly labeled, sealed, and documented. These steps are crucial for establishing the chain of custody. As we all know, when a case goes to court, the defense will look for any sign of tampering or poor record keeping to try to get the evidence—and the case—thrown out. So be meticulous with your work, but also be smart. Remember that evidence tape is designed to show if someone has tampered with evidence, so it’s meant to fracture easily. It’s not meant to hold bags shut and boxes together. Your best bet is to use regular packing tape to seal your bags and boxes, and then place the evidence tape over the packing tape. Your evidence will be securely packaged, and you’ll be able to determine if tampering occurs.

Now let’s look at ways to pack some of the evidence you’re likely to encounter. To begin with, small items should be carefully packaged or they could be lost. For example, you might have a memory card, which may only be an inch square, package it in a 5"×7" manila envelope. Likewise, place small items in a clean envelope, and then place them in a larger envelope. Once these kinds of evidence are safely stored in the appropriate envelope, the envelope can then be properly sealed and labeled.

Large items should be placed in paper bags or wrapped in brown craft paper. Of course, some items like computers are too large to be packaged, but they still need to be documented with a property tag or label. If you do need to package computer components, be sure to use antistatic bags to avoid damage.

Finally, keep in mind that many law enforcement property rooms and state crime laboratories have their own specific guidelines for how evidence should be packaged and submitted, so you should familiarize yourself with their protocol. You can also contact your state association for property and evidence handling for information. In addition, you can check with the International Association for Property and Evidence, which provides education and training on all aspects of evidence handling, storage, and maintenance. The bottom line is that the evidence you collect at the scene, at the hospital, from the suspect, or from the victim could make or break the case. By taking the time to preserve the integrity of the evidence, you help to improve the odds that your case will be successful.

Dick Warrington is in research and development and a crime scene consultant and training instructor for the Lynn Peavey Company.