The Chain of Custody is a form that legally ensures the integrity of evidence as it is exchanged between individuals, and so it also provides a level of accountability as personal identification is required when completing the forms. This form gives an exact log and account of the transportation and the exchange between parties, from a collection at the scene to a presentation in a court.
Some of the typical fields on the Chain of Custody form are:
- Case number
- Offence
- Victim and suspect names
- Date and time seized:
- Location when seized
- Item number
- Description of item
- Signatures and IDs of individuals releasing and receiving the items
- Authorization for disposal
- Witness to destruction of evidence
- Release to lawful owner
The sample Chain of Custody form can be downloaded directly from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST):