ASTM E2123-01

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Designation:E2123–01
Standard Practice for
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the Transmittal of Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigation
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 2123; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
The meaningful analysis of physical evidence recovered in sexual assault investigations requires
careful attention to the control and preservation of easily lost trace evidence and easily damaged or
degraded biological materials. Not all items of evidence can be preserved in the same manner if the
best results are to be achieved during subsequent analysis by the examining forensic laboratory.
1. Scope 4.2 All individuals associated with the investigation should
be prepared to protect the chain of evidence custody and
1.1 This practice describes the basic considerations that will
preserve what are often trace amounts of perishable biological
help preserve different items or types of sexual assault related
materials, and other trace evidence such as hairs, fibers, and
evidence for subsequent analysis. This practice is designed to
particulate evidence that may not be visible to the unaided eye.
be used in conjunction with other specifications, guides, and
4.3 These standard specifications are to be used in conjunc-
practices associated with sexual assault examinations that are
tion with E 1843 and E 2057.
listed in Section 2.
5. Significance and Use
2. Referenced Documents
5.1 The procedures put forth in this standard are designed to
2.1 ASTM Standards:
preserve sexual assault evidence items during collection, stor-
E 1459 Guide for Physical Evidence Labeling and Related
2 age, and transmittal for analysis at an appropriate laboratory.
Documentation
E 1492 Practice for Receiving, Documenting, Storing, and
6. Procedure
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Retrieving Evidence in a Forensic Science Laboratory
2 6.1 Chain of Evidence Custody
E 1732 Terminology Relating to Forensic Science
6.1.1 The chain of custody in a sexual assault examination
E 1843 Guide for Sexual Assault Investigation, Examina-
2 of a victim is unique in that it may be difficult to control in the
tion, and Evidence Collection
midst of administering to the needs of an often mobile and
E 2057 Specificationfor Preparation of LaboratoryAnalysis
2 traumatized individual.
Requests in Sexual Assault Investigations
6.1.2 An “investigator” in this usage may be, but is not
3. Terminology limited to, an emergency medical practitioner, social worker,
nurse, physician, or law enforcement officer.
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in these
6.1.3 It is the responsibility of each “investigator” of the
specifications see Standard Terminology E 1732 and the Com-
assault to ensure that the chain of custody is continued by the
pilation of ASTM Standard Definitions (1990).
subsequent investigator, evidence transporter, or evidence stor-
4. Summary of Practice age person.
6.1.4 The basic requirements for the labeling and initiating
4.1 Evidence collected from the victim or suspect, other
a chain of custody of evidence items are described in E 1459.
physical evidence from the crime scene, and investigative facts
6.2 Preservation of Evidence
and medical conclusions associated with a sexual assault
6.2.1 All items of physical evidence collected in the inves-
examinationshouldbetreatedinamannerthatwillensuretheir
tigation should be treated as though they are, or may contain,
suitability preservation for presentation in legal proceedings.
perishable biological materials until they can be examined by
an appropriate forensic laboratory.
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This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic
6.2.2 Liquid blood samples should be collected and trans-
Sciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.01 on Criminalistics.
ported as required by the examining forensic laboratory. Dried
Current edition approved Jan. 10, 2001. Published March 2001.
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stains may be transported at room temperature.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
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E2123
6.2.2.1 In some cases, more than one blood sample may be over on itself to prevent materials from being transferred to the
required from an individual for a combination of serological opposite side from which they were originally deposited.
(including DNA) and toxicological testing. The preservative or
6.3.4 Individually packaged items, associated with a single
anticoagulant required in each sample may be different and the
individua
...