NCJ Number
196470
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 29 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2002 Pages: 12-14,16-20,21
Date Published
August 2002
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This magazine article discusses 12 steps to organizing property rooms and the evidence they contain.
Abstract
This article discusses the fact that the average evidence room grows at a rate of 24 percent a years and is the basis for the need to reduce paperwork, save time, and promote increased evidence disposal as is discussed in this article. Some recommended strategies of numbering, shelf location, row arrangements, all which affect how evidence is located in the property room are discussed. Recommendations for the simplification of paperwork including how to set up a property report are included. The creation of a packaging strategy is discussed including types of bags, shelving, boxes, envelopes, barrels, and types of bank accounts to be used. Defining the box, or boundary of responsibility of evidence managers is discussed, including jurisdiction and chain of evidence. Categorizing crimes, evidence and transactions, automating the operation, central signature log, what to do with old evidence retention guidelines, evidence disposal, inventorying, and evaluating statistics are also topics covered in this article.