- 01: Introduction
- 02: History
- 03: Propellants, Firearms, and Ammunition Development
- 04: Modern Firearms Manufacture
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Evidence Handling Procedures
- Introduction
- Objectives
- AFTE Knowledge and Ability Factors
- Types of Evidence
- Associative Evidence
- The Crime Scene
- Evidence Submission
- Laboratory Evidence Handling
- Case Tracking Within the Laboratory
- Firearm and Toolmark Examination Considerations
- Selected Bibliography
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
- Resources
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice ProgramsNational Institute of JusticeThe Research, Development, and Evaluation Agency of the U.S. Department of Justice
Input Information
Home > Evidence Handling Procedures > Case Tracking Within the Laboratory > Forensic LIMS > Input Information
For management purposes, LIMS inputs are normally customized to the expressed or perceived needs of a given forensic laboratory.
Generally the inputs can include basic items, such as these:
- Laboratory file/case/submission number
- Date evidence received
- Submitting agency
- Submitting agency investigative file number
- Evidence listing and tracking data by item, type, and quantity
- Type(s) of examination(s) requested
- Examiner(s) assigned to an evidence submission or a particular examination
- Chain-of-custody information
- Bar coding of evidence items
- Additional examinations (in series or concurrently) required as a result of trace evidence found
- Estimated date for completion
- Date of report(s)
- Report contents
- Quality assurance information
In addition, many forensic laboratories might include customized management and administrative data such as:
- Case index reflecting the volume and complexity of the evidence submission based on a number of variables, including:
- Number of items submitted.
- Number of disciplines involved.
- Probable number of examinations required.
- Number of interrelated previous evidence submissions.
- Case prioritization system.
- Case assignment criteria to assist managers in balancing and maintaining an equitable caseload. All cases are not created equal and a single massive evidence submission can easily outweigh twenty or thirty straightforward submissions.
Some criteria to consider when assigning cases:- Examiner’s experience level and training versus the volume and complexity of a new evidence submission
- Each examiner’s areas of qualification
- Priority assigned to a new case
- Previous submissions in the same or related cases
