Which practice helps maintain the integrity of evidence during transfers?

• A. Document all transfers and verify seals are intact.
• B. Hide the evidence during transfer.
• C. Change the identifier on the item.
• D. Record only the final transfer.

Answer: (A)

Maintaining the chain of custody is the key idea here. When evidence is transferred, there must be a clear, traceable record of every handoff and inspection to show it hasn’t been altered, damaged, or replaced. Documenting each transfer creates an auditable trail of who handled the item and when, and verifying seals ensures the container hasn’t been opened or tampered with. Together, these practices protect the integrity of the evidence and support its admissibility and credibility.

Other approaches break that trust: hiding the evidence during transfer prevents any verification of its condition or custody, changing the item’s identifier risks misidentification or substitution, and recording only the final transfer omits the full history of handling, making tampering or loss much harder to detect.