The use of forensic evidence in the criminal justice system has grown appreciably in the United States. Yet policies that dictate how State and local agencies maintain and store forensic evidence have not kept pace. This study examined the prevalence of evidence retention policies, as well as storage locations and tracking systems, in a nationally representative sample of State and local law enforcement agencies. Less than half of U.S. police departments have a policy for preserving biological evidence from convicted offenders. Among agencies having a policy, the responsibility for retaining evidence was most commonly placed with the investigating law enforcement agency. Implications of these findings and policy directions are discussed. (Published Abstract)
Downloads
Similar Publications
- Mongolians in the Genetic Landscape of Central Asia: Exploring the Genetic Relations among Mongolians and Other World Populations
- Inverse prediction for multivariate mixed models with standard software
- Characterization of the Volatiles' Profiles of the Eggs of Forensically Relevant Lucilia sericata and Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Blow Flies by SPME-Facilitated GC-MS