The Contamination of Evidence
Contamination is the introduction of foreign substance or artifacts into evidence that alters or obscures the original features of the evidence. These can happen at any point in an investigation. They may occur from the first collection at the crime scene through to the analysis of the samples at the laboratory. You can either intentionally or unintentionally cause contamination to the evidence. It could have grave consequences for its integrity and reliability.
You cannot overstate the importance of not contaminating evidence. A crime scene evidence can often be used to investigate the incident, identify suspects and secure convictions. It can be hard or impossible to identify the true value or significance of the evidence if it has been contaminated. This could lead to misinterpretations or inaccurate conclusions. The chain of custody can also be compromised by contamination. It is difficult to determine the origin and history of the evidence, as well as its authenticity.