What does chain of custody refer to?

Chain of custody refers to the meticulous documentation of evidence handling from the moment it is seized until it is presented in court. This process is critical in legal proceedings to ensure that the evidence has been collected and preserved properly, safeguarding it from contamination or tampering. The integrity of the evidence is paramount in maintaining its admissibility in court, and the chain of custody serves as a means to track and verify that every individual who handled the evidence did so in a manner that maintains its integrity.

In the context of this question, while witness statements, police officer tracking, and records of arrests are relevant aspects of law enforcement operations, they do not pertain to the specific procedural safeguards associated with evidence. The concept of chain of custody is predominantly concerned with the unwavering traceability of physical or digital evidence, thereby upholding the standards of justice and fairness in legal proceedings.