A chain of custody is a chronological documentation or paper trail that records the sequence of custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of materials, including physical or electronic evidence. It is a critical process used to track the movement and control of evidence through its collection, safeguarding, and analysis lifecycle by documenting each person who handled the evidence, the date/time it was collected or transferred, and the purpose for the transfer. This process is essential to assure the court of law that the evidence is authentic and has not been tampered with. It is particularly important in legal contexts, especially in criminal cases, to maintain the integrity of the evidence and to establish its relevance in the court.
The chain of custody is also used in most chemical sampling situations to maintain the integrity of the sample by providing documentation of the control, transfer, and analysis of samples. It is a complex process that increases transparency and enables accountability for actions taken on the asset, whether it is evidence, equipment, infrastructure, systems, or data. Maintaining the chain of custody is critical in forensic practice and plays an important role in security and risk mitigation for critical infrastructure sectors and their assets.
