Packaging for Latents

[TXMike]

Many moons ago people were taught to use pastic bags to package handguns collected at a scene that were going to be sent in for latent exams. The teaching was to put them in the bag & staple through the bag around the item to "secure it in place". (Obviously this assumed the lack of a suitable cardboard box with tiedown material) I thought that concept had disappeared but recently learned it is still being used in some places. Are there any places where this is still an accepted practice and are there any thoughts on the usefulness and safety issues?

[Patrick Warrick]

Well that had to be alot of moons ago. I have to admit that in my 17 years of LP analysis I've never heard of that packaging technique.

My biggest concern, besides the obvious plastic bag contacting semi-tightly over the whole weapon, would be issues with biological evidence that may be lost by being sealed in plastic.