The mission of CBRNSU is to develop and maintain the FBI Laboratory's ability to conduct and/or direct high-quality forensic examinations of hazardous chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials (CBRN), and all related evidence.

Since the FBI Laboratory can not accept CBRN material or contaminated evidence, the CBRNSU maintains formalized partnerships with key laboratories within the US Government, academia, and the private sector to provide the FBI with critical scientific capabilities and expertise.

The CBRNSU is also tasked with ensuring that traditional forensic examinations, such as latent fingerprints, trace materials, DNA, etc., can be carried out on evidentiary items contaminated with hazardous CBRN materials. Additionally, the CBRNSU staff conducts research to support case work.The CBRNSU has three case-working programs…….

CBRN Sciences Unit

Biological Threat Agents

Chemical Warfare Agents

Radiological/ Nuclear

Materials

Forensic Issues

Evidence CollectionChain of Custody

Secondary evidenceSecurity of evidence

Conventional Forensic ExaminationsConflicts with analysis of CBRN materialsPreservation of evidenceOn-site analysis

Admissibility

Evidence Handling Considerations

Evidence security – control access

Package it properly – consider procedures for tamper detection

Maintain Chain of Custody

Secondary evidence

Areas to consider when looking for traditional evidence

Evidence preservation – avoid consumption of evidence

Secondary Evidence

Secondary evidence is a work product derived from an examination process. It is not an individual item submitted by a contributor and could not have been assigned an item identifier through the inventory process. Each unit quality manual will contain unit-specific means of identifying secondary evidence. Additionally, each unit will have a secondary evidence log. Secondary evidence will be returned, unless it is consumed during the examination, destroyed according to existing regulations, or meets the criteria for retention by the FBI Laboratory.

Secondary Evidence

Preservation of secondary evidence less critical if original material remains for re-testing.

If original sample not available, or consumed during process, attempt to establish an archive sample as quickly as possible from original sample.

Photographs of results from secondary samplesMake sure that photographs are clear and unambiguous depictions of results

Conventional Forensic Examinations

Trace evidence

Questioned documents

DNA (human nuclear and mitochondrial)

Latent fingerprints

Photography

Explosive device analysis

Chemistry

Toolmarks

Contact Information

• Alan Giusti, CBRN Sciences Unit• Phone: 703-632-8411• Blackberry: 571-237-1818• E-mail: alan.giusti@ic.fbi.gov

Question 1

When does chain of custody start and stop for the laboratories?

Question 2

How long does evidence or potential evidence need to be stored?

When it is determined what materials need to be maintained?

Question 3

What is the process for handling COC for materials that are split for testing such as multiple plates?

Question 4

What materials do we need to collect from our first responders to initiate our laboratory chain of custody?

Question 5

Can someone explain the relationship laboratories should have with their local WMD coordinators?

Question 6

Will laboratory security tapes ever be needed for court cases?

Question 7

How often are laboratory staff brought to court to testify in cases?

Question 8

Does chain of custody only apply in cases where the FBI contacted the lab before hand?

Question 9

Where are the LRN COC forms found online?

Question 10

Are there other resources out there to learn more about the subject?

Live Questions

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