Unit 4: Collection and Packaging of Evidences at Crime Scene - Practice Quiz

1 What does 'chain of custody' primarily refer to in crime scene investigation?

2 Which tool is most appropriate for collecting a wet bloodstain from a surface?

3 Why should biological evidence NOT be packaged in airtight plastic containers?

4 Which type of packaging is recommended for dry biological evidence such as dried bloodstains on cloth?

5 What is the most suitable container for packaging arson debris or volatile accelerant samples?

6 When collecting evidence, what should an investigator wear to avoid contaminating samples?

7 Which information is essential on an evidence label to maintain chain of custody?

8 How should sharp objects like knives be handled during collection?

9 What is the purpose of using a 'druggist fold' when packaging trace evidence?

10 What happens to the credibility of evidence if the chain of custody is broken?

11 In what order should evidence generally be collected at a crime scene?

12 How should each item of evidence be packaged in relation to other items?

13 Which method is used to lift latent fingerprints from a smooth surface?

14 What is a 'tamper-evident' seal used for in evidence packaging?

15 How should liquid blood samples be preserved for transport to the laboratory?

16 Which container is best suited for packaging broken glass fragments?

17 Who is responsible for maintaining the chain of custody once evidence is collected?

18 What document typically accompanies evidence when it is forwarded to the forensic laboratory?

19 Why should reference or control samples be collected along with evidentiary samples?

20 What should be done to a wet swab before it is sealed for storage?

21 An investigator finds a bloodstain on a cotton shirt at a crime scene. The stain is still moist. What is the most appropriate procedure before packaging?

22 While collecting loose hair and fiber evidence from a car seat, which packaging choice best prevents loss and cross-contamination?

23 Debris suspected of containing accelerants (e.g., petrol) is recovered from an arson scene. Which container preserves the volatile residue best?

24 A chain of custody document shows the following order: Collecting Officer → Evidence Room → [gap] → Forensic Analyst. What does the gap most likely represent as a chain-of-custody failure?

25 A loaded pistol is found at a shooting scene. Which handling and packaging step is correct?

26 Dried bloodstains on a fixed, non-movable concrete wall cannot be sent whole to the lab. Which collection method is preferred?

27 At a burglary scene with a broken window, the investigator needs to determine the direction of impact. Which collection practice supports this analysis?

28 Which item is essential to accompany physical evidence when it is forwarded to the forensic laboratory?

29 A suspected forged document is recovered. Which handling practice preserves its evidentiary value best?

30 Why is a tamper-evident seal with the collector's initials placed across the closure of an evidence package?

31 An investigator must collect gunshot residue (GSR) from a suspect's hands. Which method is standard?

32 To compare soil found on a suspect's shoe with a crime scene, how should control/reference soil samples be collected?

33 Which packaging error is most likely to cause DNA degradation in a collected saliva swab?

34 Recovered bullets and cartridge cases from a scene must be packaged so that:

35 During cross-examination, the defense challenges an exhibit's admissibility. Which record most directly counters the claim of tampering?

36 A small quantity of a suspected poisonous liquid is found in an open cup. What is the best collection approach?

37 Which sequence correctly reflects the priority of evidence collection at a scene?

38 Why should each item of biological evidence be packaged in a separate container rather than grouped together?

39 When forwarding a perishable biological exhibit over a long distance, which precaution is most important?

40 An evidence label at collection must minimally record which set of details?

41 An investigator recovers a set of bloodstained clothing that is still damp at the scene. Before packaging, the correct sequence of actions is:

42 At an arson scene, an investigator must collect debris suspected to contain accelerant residue. Which container-and-technique combination best preserves volatile hydrocarbons for laboratory analysis?

43 During cross-examination, defence counsel argues evidence is inadmissible because one transfer between the collecting officer and the laboratory was not documented, though the item itself appears intact. The most accurate legal-scientific position is:

44 An investigator finds a latent fingerprint on a curved, non-porous glass bottle and a second print on an absorbent cardboard box. The correct differential approach is:

45 A recovered firearm is to be forwarded for both ballistic and biological (DNA on grip) examination. The optimal handling protocol is:

46 Multiple wet bloodstains on a large immovable concrete floor cannot be transported. The most reliable collection method for subsequent DNA typing is:

47 Which combination of features on an evidence package most robustly demonstrates an unbroken chain of custody?

48 An investigator must collect trace fibres and hairs from a victim's jacket that also bears possible gunshot residue (GSR). The correct order of operations is:

49 A liquid blood sample drawn from a suspect for comparison must be forwarded to a distant laboratory. The best preservation-and-transport strategy is:

50 Tool marks are present on a wooden window frame that can be removed. When direct casting risks damage, the preferred evidentiary approach is:

51 An investigator collects 15 exhibits at a homicide scene. To later reconstruct exactly where each was found, the single most critical documentation practice at the point of collection is:

52 A partially charred document must be recovered from a fire scene. The correct field procedure is:

53 Sharp-edged evidence such as a bloodstained knife must be forwarded for both DNA and toolmark analysis. The safest correct packaging is:

54 At a hit-and-run scene, paint chips are found embedded in a fabric and loose on the road. For a valid comparison examination, the investigator should:

55 In a multi-agency investigation, an exhibit passes through five custodians before laboratory receipt. Which scenario most seriously jeopardises the chain of custody?

56 Soil evidence is to be collected for comparison with soil on a suspect's footwear. To maximise evidentiary value, the investigator should collect:

57 A memory card and a mobile phone are seized as digital evidence at a scene. Correct forwarding practice requires:

58 A pool of a suspected controlled substance in powder form must be sampled from a large seizure of many identical packets. The scientifically defensible sampling approach is:

59 An evidence label records the item description, exhibit number, date, time, and location, but omits the collector's identity and signature. The primary evidentiary consequence is:

60 Two garments from a victim and a suspect are recovered for fibre transfer analysis. To avoid a defence claim of secondary transfer during handling, the investigator must ensure that: