ABSTRACT
A crime scene is any location that may be associated with a committed crime.
Locating and identifying evidence at crime scenes, as well as identifying potentially missing evidence, is very challenging. Furthermore a crime scene may present visible evidence but also evidence that cannot be identified with the naked eye. Covered evidence must be searched using physical or chemical methods. Biological evidence collection, transportation, and preservation must be done according to specific protocols in order to avoid evidence alteration, degradation, or contamination. In fact, the potential impact of biological evidence contamination is a relevant issue due to the sensitivity of current forensic analytical methods. Best practices and common errors are discussed in the chapter.
