The central legal issue in the admissibility of narcotics evidence in court is the collecting officer's ability to recognize the evidence as the same that was obtained from the defendant or the crime scene. This is possible only if the evidence is properly collected, marked, handled, and stored. The proper collection and management procedures include using the proper packaging materials and procedures, labeling evidence containers properly, taking appropriate safety precautions, and ensuring the evidence chain of custody. Endnotes, multiple-choice questions and answers, and brief description of a policy discussion paper on evidence control