Cooperation on the part of law enforcement officials may be crucial; materials needed for testing or retesting may be in their possession. 

Consequently, they can assist in:

• Finding the evidence that was sent to the laboratory for testing.
• Identifying and locating other evidence that is now testable.
• Preserving the evidence.

Some or all of the content on this page was excerpted from the Special Report Postconviction DNA Testing: Recommendations for Handling Requests, developed under an award from the Office of Justice Programs' National Institute of Justice. See award product disclaimer.