THE RECOVERY OF FIBRES

• Jurisdiction: Australia

Introduction ................................................................................................... [88C.600]

Methods of retrieval ...................................................................................... [88C.620]

Case management........................................................................................ [88C.640]

[88C.600] Introduction

Collection and examination of fibres

It should be clear from the preceding sections that the opportunities for fibres to be transferred are great and that fibres are often too small to be readily detected with the naked eye. The potential for the use of this type of evidence should be apparent at nearly all major crime scenes and in all sexual assault cases. In handling items and in making decisions about what should or should not be collected, one should always keep as a major consideration the GIFT (Get It First Time) principle.

Scenes and items should be treated as though the case will eventually depend on physical evidence, its effective recovery and subsequent examination. If, in the fullness of time, it becomes clear that the facts do not warrant the examination of the physical evidence, then nothing has been lost. If, however, the scene or items have been incorrectly dealt with and altered or contaminated, then meaningful subsequent examinations will not be possible.

A final word of introduction is necessary regarding the nature of physical evidence. Much of it is too small to be readily detected but, in some cases, there will be more or less obvious visible tufts of fibre, that is, on a broken window, attached to a wire fence or on a knife or other type of...