Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) A Practice Exam

What principle should be followed when handling and storing physical evidence in cases where clothing is removed?

1. Evidence preservation

2. Forensic principles

3. Chain of custody

4. Proper documentation

The correct answer is: Forensic principles

The principle that should be followed when handling and storing physical evidence in cases where clothing is removed is grounded in forensic principles. This encompasses a variety of best practices aimed at ensuring that all evidence recovered is collected, preserved, and analyzed in accordance with scientific standards. These principles include maintaining the integrity of the evidence, preventing contamination, and ensuring that the evidence can be reliably analyzed in a forensic context. When dealing with physical evidence such as clothing, it is crucial that forensic principles guide the collection process. This typically involves wearing gloves to prevent touching the fabric with bare skin, using proper bags that do not create static or moisture issues, and ensuring that the clothing is labeled and documented accurately to maintain contextual information about the evidence. Through adherence to these forensic principles, the likelihood of preserving evidence in a form that is admissible in court is enhanced, thereby supporting the integrity of the investigation. Evidence preservation, chain of custody, and proper documentation indeed play crucial roles in managing physical evidence, but the overarching concept of forensic principles effectively encompasses all these practices, demonstrating their significance in forensic investigations.