GUIDELINES ON METHODS AND PROCEDURES FOR IVORY SAMPLING AND LABORATORY ANALYSIS, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2014)
These Guidelines were prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Laboratory and Scientific Section (LSS) and the Global Programme for Combating Wildlife and Forest Crime, Sustainable Livelihoods Unit (GPWLFC, SLU). They reflect the discussions of, and contributions from, subject-matter experts. The experts participated in an expert group meeting organized by UNODC. This was under the umbrella of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) in Vienna, 4-6 December 2013.
These Guidelines are a guide for appropriate procedures in wildlife crime investigations. This is to ensure that forensic data is credible and admissible. The Guidelines aim to facilitate the use of forensic science in combating the trade in illegal ivory. Further, they provide guidance on procedures for ivory sampling and analysis to support transnational criminal investigations.
The use of the Guidelines will lead to more timely, thorough and effective investigations, resulting in an increased number of successful prosecutions and a reduction in this illegal trade. They cover the whole chain of custody, from the crime scene to the courtroom. The target audience therefore ranges from first responders to the scene of the crime, crime scene investigators, law enforcement officials, forensic scientists, prosecutors and the judiciary.
The full text of the Guidelines can be found here.
