ABSTRACT
Effective investigations follow documented procedures that can be explained in court. In scientic investigations, the recommended procedure that is followed is termed as the scientific protocol. Protocols for collection of individual evidence from the scene are rules for proper handling of evidence, so that it is not compromised or contaminated. A crime scene team has a standard operating procedure or protocol established for how a scene is processed. When all team members follow the same set of guidelines or protocol, everyone understands his or her role in the investigation and the team works more efciently and effectively.
