A Forensic Guide for Crime Investigators: Standard Operating Procedures By LNJN National Institute of Criminology & Forensic Science

With the expansion of technology and emergence of new types of crime at one hand, and increasing demand and reliance on forensic evidence by courts and opinion makers on the other hand, investigating agencies are expected to collect newer types of evidence as well as get convincing forensic evidence to satisfy the courts as well as other stakeholders like the press, civil society & political leadership.

Each type of forensic evidence requires relevant method for collection, handling, packing and forwarding the physical evidence for forensic examination. Forensic evidence can be severely damaged due to shortcoming of any of the aspects. It is difficult for Investigating Officers to remember the correct procedure for each type of forensic evidence at the time of collection and also queries that could be made for the forensic expert’s opinion.

Therefore, it was felt that a handbook of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) should be available to the I.O. for their ready reference. This handbook tries to fulfill the long felt-need of the investigating agencies. It will be useful not only for I.Os. but also judicial officers and prosecutors. This is a maiden attempt by NICFS to empower different agencies of the criminal justice system and bridge the gap between technical and non-technical officials in the Criminal Justice System.

This comprehensive book, which comprises of 721 A4 size pages, gives relevant sections of law, crime statistics, crime scene management, crime scene kit, search procedure, potential evidence, preservation, packaging, transportation to laboratory, sample queries for laboratories, Do’s & Don’ts, precautions, case studies, photographs and references for each type of crime.

The book was released by Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary in the 34th National Symposium of Heads of Police Training Institutions at New Delhi on 28th Oct. 2015.