Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 515 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF STATE POLICE › Title 515 CMR 7.00 - Long Term Retention and Preservation of Evidence by Governmental Entities › Section 7.02 - Definitions

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
Biological Evidence
. Samples of
				biological material-such as hair, tissue, bones, teeth, blood, semen, or other
				bodily fluids-or evidence items containing biological material. 
				1
Breathable/Porous Container
. Packaging
				through which liquids or vapors may pass (
e.g.,
paper bags and
				cloth bags). 
				1
Chain of Custody
. Identification of
				the person or agency having custody of evidence and the place where that
				evidence is kept, in chronological order from the time evidence is collected to
				its destruction. A formal, written process that records the persons having
				custody of evidence from initial point of receipt or custody by a
				representative of a law enforcement agency to its final disposition by the
				agency. The record also reflects the dates and reasons evidence is transferred
				from one location or person to another.
Combustible Liquid
. Any liquid that
				has a closed cup flashpoint at or above 37.8/C (100/F). 
				2
Contamination.
The unwanted transfer
				of material from another source to a piece of physical evidence. 
				1
Degradation
. The transition from a
				higher to a lower level of quality. 
				1
Designated Evidence Personnel
. The
				individual(s) who receives, inventories, packages, labels or transports
				evidence and who has access to evidence storage areas.
Evidence
. Material, regardless of
				form, which is received by an agency for the purpose of obtaining information
				relevant to a criminal investigation. 
				3
Evidence Custodian
. The person who is
				responsible for evidence processing in a given location (
e.g
.,
				property and evidence room, hospital, court, crime laboratory). This person can
				be an evidence collector or handler as well.
Evidence Packaging
. The manner in
				which items with potential evidentiary value are wrapped, bagged, or boxed to
				be preserved, documented, and labeled. 
				1
Evidence Storage Area
. A secure
				limited access location or designation to store evidence with the proper
				climate control.
Flammable Liquid
. A liquid that has a
				closed cup flashpoint below 37.8/C (100/F).
FTATM
. An
				absorbent cellulose based paper that contains four chemical substances to
				protect DNA molecules from degradation and preserve the paper from bacterial
				growth. 
				4
Long Term Storage
. The evidence
				retention period for a period of time that a person remains in the custody of
				the Commonwealth or under parole or probation supervision in connection with
				that crime, without regard to whether the evidence or biological material was
				introduced at trial.
NIST
. National Institute of Standards
				and Technology. 
				5
Non-toxicological Biological Evidence
.
				Samples that are biological in nature such as hair, tissue, bones, teeth,
				blood, semen, salvia, skin cells or other body fluids as well as items of
				evidence potentially containing biological materials.
Packaging
. Container used to house
				individual items of evidence. 
				1
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
.
				Items used to prevent an individual's direct contact with blood borne)
				pathogens. PPE includes disposable gloves, disposable overalls, disposable shoe
				covers, laboratory coats, masks, and eye protection. 
				1
Quality Control
. Activities designed
				according to established standards that are used to ensure the quality of
				analytical data and to ensure this data satisfies specified criteria. 
				4
Toxicological Biological Evidence
.
				Samples such as blood, urine, vitreous humor, gastric contents, tissues and
				other body fluids from either ante (operating under the influence) or post
				mortem (autopsy) cases. 
				1
References:
1
The Biological Evidence
				Preservation Handbook
: Best Practices for Evidence Handlers
www.nist.gov/forensics/upload/NIST-IR-7928.pdf
2 National Fire Protection
				Association. NFPA 921:
Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations
				2014
3 Massachusetts State Police Crime
				Laboratory. Quality Assurance Manual QAMS-D001-v4.0
4 Butler, John M. Forensic DNA
				Typing:
Biology, Technology, and Genetics of STR Markers. Elsevier
				2005
5 Massachusetts State Police Crime
				Laboratory. DNA Unit Administrative Manual DNA-D300-v3.0