Sexual offences: handling clothing evidence: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Sexual offences: handling clothing evidence

Sample item

The clothes of a rape survivor are damp with blood and semen. How should they be packed for the laboratory?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Air-dried and placed in separate paper bags

Moist biological stains in an airtight container encourage bacterial growth and degrade DNA. Each item should be dried in air, packed in separate paper bags to prevent cross-contamination, labelled and sealed, with a chain of custody maintained.

Option by option

  • A. Together in a single airtight plastic bag

    Plastic retains moisture, which promotes bacterial growth and degrades DNA, and mixing items allows cross-contamination.

  • B. Air-dried and placed in separate paper bags (correct)

    Drying and paper packaging preserve biological material and prevent cross-contamination.

  • C. Soaked in formalin

    Formalin damages DNA and alters the stains.

  • D. Washed and dried before packing

    Washing destroys the evidence.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Air-dried and placed in separate paper bags. Moist biological stains in an airtight container encourage bacterial growth and degrade DNA.

Why is "Together in a single airtight plastic bag" not the answer?

Plastic retains moisture, which promotes bacterial growth and degrades DNA, and mixing items allows cross-contamination.

Why is "Soaked in formalin" not the answer?

Formalin damages DNA and alters the stains.

Why is "Washed and dried before packing" not the answer?

Washing destroys the evidence.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sexual offences: handling clothing evidence in Forensic Medicine. Each item should be dried in air, packed in separate paper bags to prevent cross-contamination, labelled and sealed, with a chain of custody maintained.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Sexual offences: handling clothing evidence?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.