How does chain of custody protect the integrity of documentary evidence?

• A. It guarantees the evidence is free of tampering.
• B. Tracks every person who handled the evidence to preserve admissibility and credibility.
• C. It is irrelevant to documentary evidence.
• D. It ensures the physical storage is secure.

Answer: (B)

Chain of custody provides an unbroken, documented trail of every person who has touched the evidence, along with dates, times, and how it was handled. For documentary evidence, that means logging who collected the document, who accessed or viewed it, who copied or transmitted it, and how it was stored. This continuous record preserves admissibility and credibility because it lets you prove the document’s origin and show that its content hasn’t been altered since it entered custody. While no system can guarantee zero tampering, a complete chain makes any changes traceable and helps resolve questions about authenticity. The record-keeping aspect is broader and more essential than merely assuming secure storage or claiming tampering never happened, which is why tracking every handler is the best description.