ASTM E1843-96(2010)

Standard Guide for Sexual Assault Investigation, Examination, and Evidence Collection

ABSTRACT
This guide covers the basic components for the development of a sexual assault investigation protocol, with specific attention to the examination of assault scenes, victims and suspects of sexual assault, the recovery of testimonial, physical, and behavioral evidence, and the preservation and custody of physical evidence. This guide also outlines procedures requiring the experience of experts in a diversity of fields. A multidisciplinary team approach to sexual assault investigation is necessary and is the current standard of care. This team should include members skilled in the following disciplines: law enforcement, criminalistics, victim advocacy, and clinical, forensic practice.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the basic components for the development of a sexual assault investigation protocol, with specific attention to the examination of assault scenes, victims and suspects of sexual assault, the recovery of testimonial, physical, and behavioral evidence, and the preservation and custody of physical evidence.
1.2 This guide outlines procedures requiring the experience of experts in a diversity of fields. A multidisciplinary team approach to sexual assault investigation is necessary and is the current standard of care. This team should include members skilled in the following disciplines: law enforcement, criminalistics, victim advocacy, and clinical, forensic practice.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 28-Feb-2010
• ICS: 11.100.99 - Other standards related to laboratory medicine
• Technical Committee: E30 - Forensic Sciences
• Drafting Committee: E30.01 - Criminalistics

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E1843-96(2003) - Standard Guide for Sexual Assault Investigation, Examination, and Evidence Collection
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2010
• Referred By: ASTM E2057-10(2015) - Standard Specifications for Preparation of Laboratory Analysis Requests in Sexual Assault Investigations
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2010
• Referred By: ASTM E2123-20 - Standard Practice for Preservation of Evidence in Sexual Violence Investigation
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2010
• Referred By: ASTM E2124-20 - Standard Specification for Equipment and Supplies in Sexual Violence Investigations
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2010

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E1843 − 96(Reapproved 2010)
Standard Guide for
Sexual Assault Investigation, Examination, and Evidence
Collection
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1843; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Reports of sexual assaults have increased steadily in the United States over the past twenty five
years. Although the reporting rate of these assaults has tripled nationally during this period, research
statistics indicate that sexual assault remains as one of the most under-reported types of crime. These
studies also indicate that the ratio of persons committing sexual assault to the general population is
fairly constant. The rise, therefore, in the reporting rate of sexual assault reflects improvements made
in U.S. society concerning how such reports are investigated and processed in the courts. These
improvements have occurred in the areas of the victims movement and victim advocacy initiatives by
the criminal justice system, improved police education and training, the women’s movement and
gender equality consciousness in society, sexual assault education in the schools and the public sector
generally, and the evaluation of clinical forensic nursing. The articulation of these standards carries
forward the spirit of these improvements so as to serve the cause of justice in society.
Although reports of child sexual abuse have also increased markedly in recent years, these reports
are even more difficult to substantiate than adult reports. Many children are too young to realize that
certain kinds of physical contact by others are inappropriate, and those that do may not be able to
articulate their feelings, or are dependent upon the abuser for care, or both. When children do report
sexual abuse to a third party, it may be dismissed as fantasy or falsehood. Children may be threatened
or convinced that something terrible will happen to them or their families if they report the abuse, or
that they were in some way responsible for it.
Traditionally, the successful prosecution of both adult and child sexual assault cases has been
difficult. The victim often is the only witness to the crime. Consequently, the documentation of
physical injuries and the collection of trace evidence may provide important corroborating evidence.
Meticulous attention to detail in the collection and preservation of evidence combined with an
empathetic concern for the victim, and a respect for the legal and human rights of the suspect is
required. Within the community, this process is known to be facilitated by using trained forensic
examiners in the setting of a multidisciplinary team.
1. Scope approach to sexual assault investigation is necessary and is the
current standard of care. This team should include members
1.1 This guide covers the basic components for the devel-
skilled in the following disciplines: law enforcement,
opment of a sexual assault investigation protocol, with specific
criminalistics, victim advocacy, and clinical, forensic practice.
attention to the examination of assault scenes, victims and
suspects of sexual assault, the recovery of testimonial,
2. Referenced Documents
physical, and behavioral evidence, and the preservation and
custody of physical evidence. 2.1 ASTM Standards:
E620 Practice for Reporting Opinions of Scientific or Tech-
1.2 This guide outlines procedures requiring the experience
nical Experts
of experts in a diversity of fields. A multidisciplinary team
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic
Sciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.01 on Criminalistics. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved March 1, 2010. Published May 2010. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 2003 as E1843 – 96 (2003). Standardsvolumeinformation,refertothestandards’sDocumentSummarypageon
DOI: 10.1520/E1843-96R10. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E1843 − 96 (2010)
E1020 Practice for Reporting Incidents that May Involve 3.4 Documentation and Evidence Collection—Written
Criminal or Civil Litigation standing operating procedures concerning evidence collection
E1188 Practice for Collection and Preservation of Informa- and documentation should be published by any organization
tion and Physical Items by a Technical Investigator (law enforcement, health care, laboratory, private contractor, or
E1459 Guide for Physical Evidence Labeling and Related volunteer organizations, or both) involved in the investigation
Documentation of sexual assaults. These procedures should address the fol-
E1492 Practice for Receiving, Documenting, Storing, and lowing areas:
Retrieving Evidence in a Forensic Science Laboratory 3.4.1 General Information:
3.4.1.1 Documentation and terminology,
3. General Protocol 3.4.1.2 Preserving the integrity of evidence,
3.4.1.3 Body diagrams/illustrations (genital and non-genital
3.1 General Information—Investigators undertaking sexual
trauma), and
assault investigations must realize that these assaults represent
3.4.1.4 Photography.
significantly underreported serious crimes and that this under-
3.4.2 Spermatozoa/Semen,
reporting is due, in significant measure, to the lack of
3.4.3 Clothing,
understanding, empathy, and professional competence of in-
3.4.4 Swabs and Smears,
vestigative personnel tasked with investigative responsibilities.
3.4.5 Bitemarks or other patterned injuries,
The most serious misunderstandings displayed on the part of
3.4.6 Hair,
investigators are common misunderstandings of particular
3.4.7 Fingernails,
categories of victims (enumerated below) and a lack of
3.4.8 Blood specimens,
willingnesstoworkwithprofessionalsinallieddisciplineswho
3.4.9 Saliva specimens, and
also provide valuable services in this area.
3.4.10 Other physical evidence.
3.1.1 Sensitivity to victim needs,
3.5 Laboratory Requests—Laboratory requests should fol-
3.1.2 The elderly victim,
low a standard format and include pertinent details of the
3.1.3 The disabled victim,
incident and the individuals involved so as to maximize
3.1.4 The male victim,
laboratory capabilities.
3.1.5 The child victim (see Section 4),
3.5.1 Medical history,
3.1.6 The homosexual victim, and
3.5.2 Incident parti
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