Tamper-Evident Seal
Definition
A physical barrier (tape, sticker, wax) applied to packaging that shows visible damage if the package has been opened after sealing. Courts treat an intact seal as corroborating evidence that the contents were not accessed between the named seal-break points.
- Purpose
- Visibly demonstrates interference with evidence packaging
- Common forms
- Wax seals, security tape with serial numbers, numbered tags, holographic strips
- Chain of custody role
- Required on all packaged forensic specimens; intact seal supports evidence integrity
Common questions
What happens when a tamper-evident seal is broken?+
The seal shows visible damage that proves the package was opened. Courts use an intact seal as evidence that the contents were not accessed between the points when it was applied and when it was removed.
What materials are used for tamper-evident seals?+
Common options include wax with case numbers, security tape with serial numbers, numbered security tags, and holographic strips. Wax-and-thread is the legacy standard in India, while security tape is the modern replacement.
Why is a tamper-evident seal required on evidence?+
It protects the chain of custody by creating a physical barrier that visibly shows if someone accessed the package after it was sealed. All forwarded and packaged forensic specimens must be sealed this way.
Related terms
- Chain of Custody
- The documented chronological record of who collected, handled, transferred, and examined a piece of evidence. For digital evidence, chain of custody includes...
- Admissibility
- Whether a piece of evidence is permitted to be placed before the fact-finder at all. Admissibility is a threshold question, decided by...
- Class Characteristics
- Features deliberately or systematically imparted to a group of items by design or manufacture, such as the calibre of a bullet, the...
- Conditional Evidence
- Evidence whose meaning comes from the state or condition of a scene at the time of the crime, not from the physical...
- Continuity
- The property of an exhibit record that shows it passed from one documented custodian directly to the next with no unexplained gap....
- Continuity of Evidence
- The UK courts' term for the same concept as chain of custody: the requirement that the prosecution can account for the movement...
- Control Sample
- A water sample collected from the suspected drowning environment at or shortly after the time of body recovery. Its diatom assemblage is...
- Evidence Kit
- A standardised collection of envelopes, swabs, slides, and forms provided by the jurisdiction's law enforcement or health authority for use in sexual...
- Exhibit Register
- The master log, maintained by the property or exhibits officer, showing every exhibit in a case, its reference number, current location, and...
- Exhibits Officer
- The designated person responsible for the physical security of all exhibits in a case. They receive items from collecting officers, log them...
- Form 21 (Viscera)
- Standard Indian forwarding form for viscera and biological samples sent to the FSL toxicology division, listing exhibits, preservatives, FIR number, autopsy surgeon...
- Forwarding Memo
- The transmittal document that accompanies a sealed packet to the FSL. Most Indian states use a state-numbered Form carrying the IO's signature,...
Explained in these topics
- Chain of Custody: What It Is and What Breaks ItA physical barrier (tape, sticker, wax) applied to packaging that shows visible damage if the package has been opened after sealing. Courts treat an intact sea...
- Chain of Custody for Clinical SpecimensA sticker, tape, or physical closure applied to an evidence container that displays visible damage if the container is opened after sealing. Required on all pa...
- Physical Evidence: Nature, Types, Collection and Chain of CustodySealed packaging that visibly shows interference, for example wax seal with case number, numbered security tag, holographic strip. Required for all forwarded e...
- Processing Physical Evidence: Discovery, Recognition and ExaminationA seal that visibly breaks or marks if disturbed. Wax-and-thread is the Indian legacy standard; security tape with serial numbers is the modern replacement.