Preserving DNA evidence preserves the ability to prove innocence. Preserved evidence can help solve closed cases – and exonerate the innocent. Preserving biological evidence from crime scenes is critically important because DNA can provide the best evidence of innocence – or guilt – upon review of a case.
In the pursuit of a criminal case, evidence is the foundation upon which both sides build their respective arguments. During the investigation into a crime, great care must be taken to collect, preserve, and record evidence that could be critical in establishing the facts surrounding a criminal case.
The ability to recognize and properly collect physical evidence is oftentimes critical to both solving and prosecuting violent crimes.
The most important aspect of evidence collection and preservation is protecting the crime scene. This is to keep the pertinent evidence uncontaminated until it can be recorded and collected. The successful prosecution of a case can hinge on the state of the physical evidence at the time it is collected.
Physical evidence can serve at least two important functions in the investigative or judicial process (Peterson et al.). First, physical evidence can help establish the elements of a crime. For example, pry marks left on a window (physical evidence) may help establish the occurrence of a burglary.
Preservation of Evidence do not move anything unless absolutely necessary. to the extent possible, avoid contaminating evidence. photograph or video record the scene as well as individual objects before moving anything. protect forensic evidence from the elements.