ASTM E1843-16

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.  
1.3 This guide offers a set of instructions for performing one or more specific operations. This standard cannot replace knowledge, skill, or ability acquired through appropriate education, training, and experience and should be used in conjunction with sound professional judgment.  
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 29-Feb-2016
• ICS: 11.100.99 - Other standards related to laboratory medicine
• Technical Committee: E30 - Forensic Sciences
• Drafting Committee: E30.11 - Interdisciplinary Forensic Science Standards

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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.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 − 16
Standard Guide for
Sexual Assault Investigation, Examination, and Evidence
1
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.
1. Scope E620 Practice for Reporting Opinions of Scientific or Tech-
nical Experts
1.1 This guide covers the basic components for the devel-
E1020 Practice for Reporting Incidents that May Involve
opment of a sexual assault investigation protocol, with specific
Criminal or Civil Litigation
attention to the examination of assault scenes, victims and
E1188 Practice for Collection and Preservation of Informa-
suspects of sexual assault, the recovery of testimonial,
tion and Physical Items by a Technical Investigator
physical, and behavioral evidence, and the preservation and
E1459 Guide for Physical Evidence Labeling and Related
custody of physical evidence.
Documentation
1.2 This guide outlines procedures requiring the experience
E1492 Practice for Receiving, Documenting, Storing, and
of experts in a diversity of fields. A multidisciplinary team
Retrieving Evidence in a Forensic Science Laboratory
approach to sexual assault investigation is necessary and is the
current standard of care. This team should include members
3. General Protocol
skilled in the following disciplines: law enforcement,
3.1 General Information—Sexual assault is an underre-
criminalistics, victim advocacy, and clinical, forensic practice.
ported crime. The most serious misunderstandings displayed
1.3 Thisguideoffersasetofinstructionsforperformingone
on the part of investigators are common misunderstandings of
or more specific operations. This standard cannot replace
particular categories of victims (enumerated below) and a lack
knowledge, skill, or ability acquired through appropriate
of willingness to work with professionals in allied disciplines
education, training, and experience and should be used in
who also provide valuable services in this area:
conjunction with sound professional judgment.
3.1.1 Sensitivity to victim needs,
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.1.2 The elderly victim,
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.1.3 The disabled victim,
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1.4 The male victim,
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
3.1.5 The child victim (see Section 4),
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
3.1.6 The cultural heritage of the victim,
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
3.1.7 The homosexual victim, and
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
3.1.8 The deceased victim.
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
3.2 Initial Law Enforcement Response—Sexual assaults
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
most often come to the attention of law enforcement personnel
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
asinitialresponders.Itisessentialforinitialresponderstohave
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
in place mechanisms for the immediate notification of allied
professionals that must also respond in a timely manner to
2. Referenced Documents
effecttheproperinvestigationoftheseincidents.Thefollowing
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
topical areas should be addressed in written procedures by law
enforcement agencies responding to sexual assaults:
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic 3.2.1 Victim safety and security;
Sciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.11 on Interdisciplin-
3.2.2 Activate multidisciplinary team;
ary Forensic Science Standards.
3.2.3 Initial victim interview and transport to examining
Current edition approved March 1, 2016. Published March 2016. Originally
facility;
approved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as E1843 – 96 (2010).
DOI: 10.1520/E1843-16.
3.2.4 Scene security;
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
3.2.5 Scene search;
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3.2.6 Evidence identification, recovery, and security; and
Standardsvolumeinformation,refertothestandards’sDocumentSummarypageon
the ASTM website. 3.2.7 Suspect detection, apprehension, and interview.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E1843 − 16
3.3 Treatment Plan—Each treatment facility that deals with 3.7.5 Law enforcement inve
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This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E1843 − 96 (Reapproved 2010) E1843 − 16
Standard Guide for
Sexual Assault Investigation, Examination, and Evidence
1
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
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.
1.3 This guide offers a set of instructions for performing one or more specific operations. This standard cannot replace
knowledge, skill, or ability acquired through appropriate education, training, and experience and should be used in conjunction
with sound professional judgment.
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic Sciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.01 on Criminalistics.
Current edition approved March 1, 2010March 1, 2016. Published May 2010March 2016. Originally approved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 20032010 as
E1843 – 96 (2003).(2010). DOI: 10.1520/E1843-96R10.10.1520/E1843-16.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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E1843 − 16
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associat
...