Barcode Evidence Tracking 101

The field of criminal justice is based on the concept of sufficient evidence. An individual cannot be charged for a crime unless facts and hard evidence can be traced to them, and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they’re responsible. In short, a person is innocent until proven guilty. This is why it’s important to use evidence tracking software, to ensure justice is served correctly.

A police evidence management system is an integral part of what makes evidence traceable and able to stand its own in a court of law. With the number of crimes that now occur at the local level each day, each department must have a streamlined way to maintain all that evidence. By utilizing specialized tracking software, you can make the evidence management process much more efficient.

What Is Needed in a Police Evidence Management System?

Evidence software needs to be able to keep up with the demands of a crime scene. When it comes to the collection of evidence and ensuring that justice is served properly and efficiently, there are four elements: productivity, accuracy, accountability, and compliance.

Productivity is necessary to allow teams to collect data quickly and with all the complete details. There can’t be any small details missing, and the longer time goes on, the more likely suspects are to get away with the crime. In addition to productivity, human error is also considered, so accuracy is always prioritized to find crimes and hold guilty persons accountable.

Accountability means teams on the scene must be gathering the right data without bias. Lastly, compliance means working with records to ensure they are filed and listed correctly for extensive reporting requirements.

How Barcode Evidence Tracking Helps Crime Scenes

There are plenty of things that can help catch the perpetrator of a crime. For instance, a crime scene might have broken glass, a murder weapon, blood, and other collateral damage that can be difficult to list manually. The more manual work is done, the higher the risk of human error.

Knowing how much damage small errors can do to the justice system, using these available technologies is a must for all police departments. Police departments can benefit greatly from using these barcode tracking systems in their property rooms, as various elements of the crime scene can be tagged with their respective tickets.

Not only does this benefit the officers on the scene, but those conducting work from the stations can also see all forms of documentation. These can show all the critical factors that play into accurate evidence analysis.

This barcode system removes the need for manual recording since everything is electronically stored and accessed by evidence software, and the correct tags can be printed on the spot. With other options like uploading files such as images, video, and documents to evidence logs, nothing beats using software to handle crime scene data.

What You’ll Need in the Right Police Evidence Management System

The first key to collecting useful data is to have evidence software that allows for flexibility in tracking and offers multiple reporting and search features. Custom reports will be easier to make with sophisticated software that supports the comprehensive collection of information.

Another argument for a good police evidence management system is that a barcode printer can be used to keep track of crime scene information efficiently and accurately. Everything is encrypted and stored locally, making it easier for all investigative teams to take a look at the data gathered. This is a feature beneficial for teams working around the clock each day.

Use Professional Tracking Software for Your Department’s Evidence

Crimes happen each day, and in a world that has plenty of violence and injustices, it pays to invest in ways to make these less damaging to those affected. Putting money into a proper police evidence management system helps the justice system in holding those who break the law accountable.

PMI Evidence Tracker™ is a police evidence management system created by Cops for Cops. This powerful tool provides law enforcement agencies with the best methods available for evidence management. Keep all your evidence data in one place. Contact us today.