Which statement accurately describes chain of custody for evidence?

• A. A narrative description of how the evidence was collected.
• B. A log of interviews with witnesses.
• C. A documented, unbroken trail from collection to presentation.
• D. A summary report of the investigation.

Answer: (D)

Chain of custody means keeping a documented, unbroken record of every person who handles the evidence, every transfer or change of possession, and every storage step from the moment it’s collected to when it’s presented in court. This ensures the evidence remains intact and untampered, because the record shows who had it, when, where it was kept, and how it was moved or altered. Any break in that record could cast doubt on the evidence’s integrity, so the emphasis is on a continuous trail that supports admissibility.

The statement that fits best describes this continuous, verifiable trail from collection all the way through presentation. Other options only touch on one aspect of the process—how it was collected, who was interviewed, or a general investigation summary—and do not establish the ongoing custody record needed to prove the evidence’s integrity.