Post on 01-Jan-2016
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 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?