What is the chain of custody?

A. A list of all people who had possession of the evidence

B. A barrier that keeps unauthorized people from the crime scene

C. A list of people who are on the crime scene

D. A document that identifies the crime that the evidence came from

A. A list of all people who had possession of the evidence

A. A list of all people who had possession of the evidence

Explanation:

Chain of custody (CoC) is a legal term referring to the documentation of the way and by whom physical or electronic evidence has been handled. It is very important to properly handle the evidence, from its seizure to the eventual final destruction. During trials, the prosecution often must prove that evidence was handled according to a properly documented chain of custody. This is usually required when the evidence is not unique or when its relevance depends on its analysis after seizure. Chain of custody is usually not requested when an easily identifiable piece of evidence is presented (e. g. recognizable by a witness, imprinted with a serial number or inscribed with initials by an officer who collected it, or inherently unique).