Which statement best describes chain of custody?

Which statement best describes chain of custody?

• A. It is a set of procedures only used in digital evidence.
• B. It documents everyone who handled the evidence from collection to admission.
• C. It guarantees the evidence cannot be lost.
• D. It refers to the chain of custody within a trial's opening statements.

Answer: (B)

Chain of custody is the documented trail of evidence handling. It records every person who touches the evidence from the moment it’s collected, through storage and transfer, all the way to its presentation in court. Each entry includes who handled it, when and where, and the condition or seals on the item. This record helps protect the evidence from tampering or substitution and supports its admissibility by showing continuity. It applies to all types of evidence, not just digital, and it’s about accountability and proper transfer, not guaranteeing the item can never be lost or being part of opening statements. So the description that best fits is that it documents everyone who handled the evidence from collection to admission.

Chain of custody is the documented trail of evidence handling. It records every person who touches the evidence from the moment it’s collected, through storage and transfer, all the way to its presentation in court. Each entry includes who handled it, when and where, and the condition or seals on the item. This record helps protect the evidence from tampering or substitution and supports its admissibility by showing continuity. It applies to all types of evidence, not just digital, and it’s about accountability and proper transfer, not guaranteeing the item can never be lost or being part of opening statements. So the description that best fits is that it documents everyone who handled the evidence from collection to admission.