Which aspect is NOT part of maintaining a chain of custody?

Maintaining a chain of custody is crucial in ensuring that evidence remains reliable and unaltered throughout its handling. This involves several key aspects designed to preserve the integrity of the evidence in legal contexts.

The option that is not part of maintaining a chain of custody focuses on the act of performing physical examinations on the evidence. While physical examinations may be necessary for analyzing and understanding the evidence, they do not directly relate to the establishment and maintenance of the chain of custody itself. The chain of custody is fundamentally about documenting the handling and movement of evidence rather than examining it.

In contrast, tracking the location of the evidence, logging every person who handles it, and documenting the condition of the evidence are all essential components of ensuring the integrity of the evidence. These practices help verify that the evidence has not been tampered with and that its history is clearly recorded, which is crucial in any legal proceedings.