OSH Security Practice Test

What are the six core steps to containing evidence?

1. Collect, secure, preserve, identify, ensure continuity, log

2. Collect, secure, preserve, store, ensure continuity, log

3. Collect, secure, preserve, identify, ensure continuity, court

4. Collect, package, preserve, identify, ensure continuity, log

The correct answer is: Collect, secure, preserve, identify, ensure continuity, log

The correct choice encompasses the essential steps involved in effectively containing evidence during an investigation. Each component plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity and admissibility of evidence in any legal or security-related context. Collecting evidence is the first crucial step that involves gathering all pertinent materials related to an incident, ensuring that nothing relevant is overlooked. Securing evidence follows, which involves protecting the collected items from tampering, damage, or contamination to maintain their original state. Preserving evidence ensures that the items remain unchanged from the moment they are collected until they are presented in court or analyzed. Identifying evidence accurately labels and documents the items collected, establishing what they are and their significance to the case. Ensuring continuity is essential for tracking the chain of custody, which documents who has handled the evidence, when, and under what circumstances, thereby validating its integrity. Lastly, logging involves creating a systematic record of all evidence handled, including details such as time, location, and condition, which is critical for reference throughout the investigation and in any subsequent legal proceedings. The inclusion of "court" in one of the other choices indicates a misunderstanding of the procedural steps necessary for managing evidence. While court processes are important, they are separate from the core steps required to contain evidence