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Run These 3 Reports Before Your Next Evidence Room Audit

by Evidence ManagementLaw EnforcementUncategorized

Is your evidence room actually audit-ready — or do you just hope it is?

For evidence room managers, audits are one of the most stressful events of the year. When an auditor walks through that door, you need more than a clean room. You need documented proof that every item is accounted for, every location is accurate, and every chain of custody is intact.

The good news: if your agency uses ERIN7, you already have everything you need. Three built-in reports can tell you exactly where you stand — before the auditor arrives. Run them regularly, and audit day stops being a source of anxiety and starts being a formality.

Here’s how to use each one.

Why Pre-Audit Reports Matter

Most evidence room problems don’t start on audit day. They build up slowly — items stored in the wrong location, cases overdue for review, barcodes that were never scanned. By the time an auditor flags them, they’ve already become a problem.

Running these three reports before your audit gives you time to find discrepancies, correct them, and document that you did. That’s not just good practice — it’s the kind of proactive record-keeping that protects your agency and your career.

“We are glad we switched over to this program as it helped us get organized and accredited through our state for the first time.”

— Det. Lonnie Tuthill, Jr., Greene County Sheriff’s Office, VA

Report 1: Inventory Discrepancy Report

Where to find it: Navigation Menu → Tools → Discrepancy Reports

This is the most important report you’ll run before any audit. It compares what ERIN7 says should be in each storage location against what is physically there. Any mismatch shows up immediately — color coded so you can see the problem at a glance.

How to run it:

  1. Click into Discrepancy Reports from the Tools menu.
  2. Give the report a name (required) and select the storage location you want to audit. You can type or scan a location label. Multiple locations can be added to a single report.
  3. Scan all the items in that location. You can do this in real time with a connected scanner, or use the Start Batch Scan option to scan offline and upload the results.
  4. When scanning is complete, click the Inventory button to generate the discrepancy report.

Reading the results:

The report uses a simple color system:

  • 🟢 Green — Active Items: Barcodes scanned and confirmed in the correct location. These are fine.
  • 🟠 Orange — Not Scanned: Items ERIN7 expected to find in this location but were not scanned. These need to be located.
  • 🔴 Red — Wrong Location: Items scanned in a location that doesn’t match the system record. These need to be moved or updated.

💡 Pro Tip: Export the report to PDF before you start making corrections. This gives you a before-and-after record that shows auditors you identified and resolved issues proactively. You can also add notes to each line item in the report, save it, and come back to it as you work through corrections. Audit reports are saved permanently in the system.

 

Report 2: Random Inventory Audit Report

Where to find it: Navigation Menu → Tools → Inventory Audit

Where the Discrepancy Report checks specific locations, the Inventory Audit Report checks specific categories of items — like firearms, cell phones, or narcotics — across your entire inventory. This is ideal for high-value or high-risk item classes that deserve extra scrutiny before an audit.

How to run it:

  1. Click New Report and give it a name.
  2. Select the item category you want to audit (e.g., firearms, currency, drugs).
  3. Select a location — specific or all locations.
  4. Set a receive date range if you want to limit the audit to items received in a certain timeframe.
  5. Choose an audit percentage — 100% to check every item, or 50% for a random sample.
  6. Click Next to generate the list.

Important notes:

  • Audit reports in ERIN7 are saved permanently and cannot be deleted. This is intentional — it creates a clean, tamper-proof audit trail.
  • Run separate reports for different categories. You cannot mix categories or audit percentages in a single report.

💡 Pro Tip: Use the 100% audit option for firearms, narcotics, and currency — your highest-accountability categories. A 50% random sample may be sufficient for lower-risk categories like clothing or general property.

 

Report 3: Case Review Status Report

Where to find it: Navigation Menu → Settings → Agency Settings → Case Review Settings

This one often gets overlooked, but it may be the report that prevents the most audit findings. If cases in your system have items that are long overdue for review or disposition, that’s a red flag for any auditor — and a sign of growing backlog problems.

The Case Review dashboard in ERIN7 shows every case broken down by status:

  • Cases with no review date set
  • Cases with past due review dates
  • Cases with upcoming review dates
  • Cases with all items still in storage
  • Cases with no items

How to use this before an audit:

  1. Start with Past Due These are your biggest risk. Open each case, check the items, and either update the review date with a note or begin the disposition process if items are eligible.
  2. Work through cases with no review date set. Assign a review date and add a note explaining the status. An auditor seeing blank review dates is a concern — even if the items themselves are fine.
  3. Run through cases eligible for disposal and clear what you can. Aim for a one-to-one ratio of items checked in versus items disposed. This keeps your inventory from growing out of control.

“The search function alone is one of my favorite features to quickly find any data on a particular piece of evidence or property.”

— Marie Little, Evidence Custodian, Elmira Police Dept., NY

Before the Auditor Arrives: Quick Checklist

  • Run the Inventory Discrepancy Report for all active storage locations
  • Correct any orange (not scanned) and red (wrong location) items
  • Export and save the before/after discrepancy PDFs
  • Run the Inventory Audit Report for high-value categories (firearms, narcotics, currency)
  • Review and clear past-due case reviews
  • Assign review dates to any cases that are missing them
  • Identify and process items eligible for disposal

Built for Audit Readiness from Day One

ERIN7 was designed with audit compliance as a core feature — not an afterthought. Every check-in, check-out, move, and transfer is automatically logged with a time stamp and user signature. You can’t alter the chain of custody record. You can’t delete an audit report. Every action taken in the system creates a permanent, searchable trail.

That’s what CJIS compliance and SOC 2 Type II certification look like in practice.

If your current system makes you nervous before an audit, it may be time to see how ERIN7 handles it.

Ready to see ERIN7 in action?

Schedule a free demo and see how audit-ready your evidence room can be.

Book Your Demo → erintechnology.com

(855) 558-3746

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ERIN7 Evidence Management Software | Built for Modern Agencies

by Evidence ManagementLaw EnforcementUncategorized

ERIN7: The Evidence Management Software Built for the Way Modern Agencies Actually Work

Law enforcement and corrections agencies bear an enormous responsibility regarding evidence. A single mishandled item, a missing entry in the chain of custody, or a documentation gap can compromise an entire investigation, derail a prosecution, or expose an agency to serious legal and regulatory consequences. As caseloads grow, evidence rooms fill faster, and digital media becomes an ever-larger part of every investigation, the tools agencies rely on to manage evidence must keep pace.

ERIN7, developed by ERIN Technology LLC, is a comprehensive evidence management platform purpose-built for modern law enforcement agencies, corrections departments, and government organizations. It was designed not by software engineers working in a vacuum, but by evidence professionals who understand the daily pressures of running a compliant, audit-ready evidence operation. The result is a system that doesn’t just digitize old processes — it fundamentally improves them.

One Platform for Every Type of Evidence

One of the most persistent challenges facing evidence managers today is fragmentation. Physical evidence — firearms, narcotics, currency, clothing, documents — often lives in one system, while digital evidence — mobile devices, hard drives, body camera footage, surveillance video — is tracked separately, if at all, in a systematic way. The result is a patchwork of spreadsheets, binders, and disconnected software that creates accountability gaps and multiplies audit headaches.

ERIN7 solves this by bringing both physical and digital evidence management into a single, unified platform. Whether your agency is processing a firearm seized at a crime scene or ingesting terabytes of data from a forensic examination, ERIN7 handles it within the same system, under the same chain of custody framework, and with the same robust audit trail.

The platform supports a wide range of evidence types and workflows, including:

  • Physical evidence intake, storage, and tracking
  • Digital evidence storage, review, and transfer
  • Barcode scanning and label printing directly to Zebra printers
  • Case, item, and person management
  • Evidence transfers, court check-outs, and returns
  • Disposal and destruction workflows
  • Inventory audits and discrepancy reporting
  • API integrations with Records Management Systems (RMS) and other agency platforms

This breadth of capability means agencies no longer need to stitch together multiple products to manage their evidence room. ERIN7 is the single source of truth.

Chain of Custody: Built to Be Unbreakable

In evidence management, the chain of custody isn’t just paperwork — it’s the legal backbone of every case. A break in the chain can render evidence inadmissible, undermine witness credibility, and give defense attorneys grounds to challenge even the most straightforward prosecutions.

ERIN7 was architected with chain-of-custody integrity as a foundational principle, not an afterthought. Every action taken within the system — whether it’s checking an item out for court, transferring custody between personnel, conducting an audit scan, or updating a record — is automatically logged with a full before-and-after snapshot of the data. This creates an unalterable, time-stamped audit trail that documents exactly who did what, when, and what the record looked like before and after the action.

Key chain of custody features include:

  • Unalterable audit logging — no record can be modified without creating a permanent log entry
  • Full custody history tracking — view the complete lifecycle of any item from intake to disposal
  • Barcode-based evidence movement — scan in/out workflows that reduce manual entry and human error
  • Digital signature capture — electronic signatures confirm every transfer and custody handoff
  • Automated inventory and discrepancy reporting — quickly identify missing, misplaced, or unaccounted-for items

This level of documentation means that when an attorney, auditor, or accreditation body asks for a complete record of an item’s history, ERIN7 produces it instantly and completely.

Cloud or On-Premises: Flexibility Without Compromise

Different agencies have different infrastructure needs and IT policies. Some are ready to move fully to the cloud. Others have legacy infrastructure, bandwidth constraints, or organizational policies that require on-premises installation. ERIN7 accommodates both without sacrificing functionality.

Microsoft Azure Government Cloud is ERIN7’s recommended deployment path for agencies seeking maximum security, compliance, and accessibility. Azure Government is specifically designed for public sector organizations and provides a security and compliance framework that meets or exceeds the rigorous standards law enforcement demands. ERIN7’s Azure-hosted deployment includes:

  • CJIS-aligned security capabilities — meeting Criminal Justice Information Services security standards
  • FIPS 140-2 encryption — federal-grade data protection for data at rest and in transit
  • Backup redundancy every 15 minutes — minimizing data loss risk in any scenario
  • Segregated customer databases — your agency’s data is never commingled with another agency’s
  • Anywhere-access web architecture — secure access from any authorized device with a modern browser

For agencies that require or prefer local control, ERIN7’s on-premises installation delivers the same full feature set within the agency’s own infrastructure.

Unlimited Customization — No Programmers Required

No two agencies operate exactly alike. Policies differ. Workflows differ. The categories of evidence, the forms required for intake, and the approval chains for disposal — all of these vary by jurisdiction, agency size, and operational philosophy. Many evidence management systems force agencies to adapt their workflows to fit the software. ERIN7 takes the opposite approach.

Administrative users — not software developers — have complete control over how the system looks, behaves, and what data it captures. Through ERIN7’s administrative interface, authorized users can:

  • Add unlimited custom fields to any screen or form
  • Create role-specific screen configurations so each user sees exactly what they need
  • Build custom workflows tailored to agency-specific processes
  • Configure dashboards and widgets for at-a-glance operational visibility
  • Design custom reports and evidence labels
  • Create category-specific intake forms (a firearm form can look completely different from a digital evidence form)
  • Set permissions on a granular level by role or physical site

This level of customization means ERIN7 adapts to your agency — not the other way around. And because no custom programming is required, agencies can make changes themselves as policies and needs evolve, without waiting on a vendor or paying for development time.

Mobile-Ready for the Field and the Evidence Room

Evidence work doesn’t happen only at a desktop terminal. Officers submit evidence in the field. Detectives pull case files from the road. Evidence technicians move through storage areas scanning hundreds of items during audits. A modern evidence management system needs to work everywhere people work — and ERIN7 does.

The platform is fully responsive and runs on any device with a modern web browser: smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop workstations. There’s no special app to install, and there are no device restrictions. Whether a staff member is on an iPhone, an Android tablet, or a Windows laptop, they get the same full-featured experience.

Mobile-specific capabilities include:

  • Mobile barcode scanning using the device’s built-in camera
  • Evidence reviews from the field — access case and item records from anywhere
  • Digital media uploads directly from mobile devices
  • Quick search and scan for fast item lookups during transfers or audits

For evidence technicians conducting large-scale physical inventories, the ability to walk through a storage room with a tablet and scan items in real time — while ERIN7 automatically flags discrepancies — is a dramatic efficiency improvement over paper-based or manual processes.

Built for Audits, Accreditation, and Compliance

Accreditation bodies, internal affairs offices, prosecuting attorneys, and oversight agencies all have one thing in common: they want documentation. The ability to prove, quickly and completely, that evidence was handled properly throughout its entire lifecycle is what separates agencies that pass audits with confidence from those that scramble to reconstruct records at the last minute.

ERIN7 is built audit-first. Every report an auditor or accreditor would want is either built into the system or can be created without programming through custom reporting tools. Inventory discrepancy reports identify items that are missing or out of place. Chain of custody reports provide a complete legal record for any item. Retention and disposition workflows ensure that evidence isn’t held longer than policy requires — and that disposal is properly documented when it occurs.

Investigator Brandy Jones of the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office describes the difference ERIN7 made in her agency’s compliance operations: “It has definitely made it a lot easier for me… the inventory, the scanning, the audits.”

Proven at Scale Across Agencies of All Sizes

ERIN7 is trusted by law enforcement and corrections agencies across North America, from small municipal police departments to large state-level corrections systems. Its architecture is designed to scale, handling everything from a department with a few hundred evidence items to operations managing tens of thousands of items every month.

The Georgia Department of Corrections Digital Forensics Unit, for example, processes an extraordinary volume of digital devices. Megan Radcliffe of that unit explains: “We’re receiving somewhere between 1,000 to 1,500 devices every single month… and ERIN has really helped us track all kinds of things.”

Whether an agency needs to track a modest evidence room or manage enterprise-scale digital forensics operations, ERIN7 delivers the same reliability, auditability, and performance.

The Technical Foundation Agencies Can Trust

ERIN7 is built on a modern, maintainable technology stack: Microsoft .NET Core and SQL Server, with a responsive web architecture that reflects current best practices in enterprise software development. This matters because agencies investing in an evidence management platform are making a long-term commitment. A platform built on modern, widely supported technologies is far less likely to become obsolete or unsupported than one built on legacy frameworks.

Direct integration with Zebra label printers allows evidence labels to print without the intermediate PDF step that slows down other systems. Advanced search capabilities let users locate evidence by case number, item barcode, person name, category, serial number, and more — making it fast to find exactly what’s needed without wading through records manually.

SOC 2 and HECVAT Certified: Security You Can Document

For agencies that must satisfy procurement officers, IT security teams, or institutional stakeholders before adopting a new platform, ERIN7 goes beyond mere claims of security — it can prove it.

ERIN7 is SOC 2 compliant, meaning it has undergone an independent third-party audit against the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Trust Services Criteria. SOC 2 certification examines how a software platform manages customer data across five key areas: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Achieving SOC 2 compliance is not a checkbox exercise — it requires demonstrating that controls are not only in place but are operating effectively over time. For law enforcement and government agencies, this provides a vendor-neutral, auditor-verified assurance that ERIN7’s security practices meet rigorous professional standards.

ERIN7 also completes the HECVAT (Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Tool), a standardized security questionnaire widely used by higher education institutions and increasingly adopted by government and public sector procurement teams to evaluate third-party technology vendors. HECVAT responses address data governance, incident response, encryption practices, business continuity, and more — providing procurement and IT security teams with a comprehensive, structured view of how ERIN7 manages data security and risk.

Together, SOC 2 compliance and HECVAT completion mean that when your agency’s IT department, legal counsel, or procurement office asks the hard questions about vendor security, ERIN7 has the documentation to answer them. These certifications are especially valuable in environments where formal vendor risk assessments are required before a contract can be signed, reducing the time and friction involved in getting a new system approved and deployed.

Ready to Modernize Your Evidence Management?

Whether your agency is currently managing evidence in spreadsheets, using an outdated legacy system, or simply looking for a platform that can grow with your needs, ERIN7 offers a proven, modern solution designed specifically for the demands of law enforcement and corrections work.

The combination of a rigorous chain of custody framework, unlimited customization, cloud and on-premises deployment options, mobile accessibility, and a compliance-first design makes ERIN7 one of the most capable and adaptable evidence management platforms available today.

Contact ERIN Technology LLC to schedule a demo and see ERIN7 in action:

📞 855-558-3746 🌐 www.erintechnology.com

See how ERIN7 can simplify evidence management, reduce administrative workload, and strengthen chain of custody integrity across your organization.

The Sherriff Office's Roadmap To State Accreditation Using ERIN7

The Sherriff Office’s Roadmap To State Accreditation Using ERIN7’s Streamlined Evidence Handling Software

by Evidence ManagementLaw Enforcement

Investigator Brandi Jones is a 16-year veteran of the Rockdale County Sherriff’s Office in Georgia. As the primary evidence custodian in the property and evidence division, she shares her experience with best practices for developing their state accreditation process. 

How important is a good evidence management system?

Records storage isn’t just about property and evidence. It’s about people’s lives. Homicide evidence must be stored for 50 years, for example, so we need a reliable evidence process. We’re not dealing with just records storage. We’re dealing with people’s lives. And that’s why a good system is critical for everyone involved. Evidence provides answers. People want answers. They want the CSI effect. We have cases of evidence that can put a criminal away for 20 years. Or a cold case depends on stored evidence for a reinvestigation potentially 20 years from now! With ERIN7 I have the evidence from police cases with the same integrity as the day we did the original evidence gathering. The officer in charge could go back and maybe exonerate someone or confirm their conviction.

Are evidence items easier to track with ERIN7?

Much easier! For example, if I had a case come in with three bags of marijuana, a pipe, and a book bag, we used to enter all of those items under one barcode label. That made it almost impossible to keep track of each of the items of evidence. With the new ERIN7, it is easier for me to separate those items, and each becomes its own entity with its own barcode. You couldn’t go into the evidence collection and remove the book bag or lose track of it. That label still shows in the system. No matter what it is, in a property and evidence room every item needs to be accounted for. That shows the integrity and confidence level of your room. When the auditors come from the state, they look at everything. The ERIN7 system is an open book that follows the accreditation process so nothing can be hidden. That builds confidence and credibility in your culture of evidence management.

How Does ERIN7 help with State Accreditation Practices?

Annual evidence unit audits, updates, and basic evidence in inventory are a lot to contend with. The new ERIN7 system definitely helps with the inventory, the scanning, and the audits. My auditors can join in and be a part of it which removes me, the primary evidence custodian, from security concerns of actually seeing anything. It makes it harder to falsify anything or to do anything wrong. Before we had ERIN7, we had to run reports and print 300 pieces of paper on everything that was in my evidence room. The auditor had to go through each piece of paper manually. Keeping all that filing correct was an evidence room operations headache.

Do all ERIN7 evidence unit personnel see the same thing?

I can allow people to join with certain privileges, especially during the audit time. Some can see the audit while others just see the inventory. It is highly organized so we can find what we need quickly. I can just go into the inventory itself, or use tools to scan different ways. I can even scan the actual location itself, such as drug box 15 of 2022. It’s just so much easier. It shows you everything that’s supposed to be in there or not in there, and then it prints out a nice little report that includes the chain of custody.

How has ERIN7 digital evidence management saved time?

At least a week every year. I have to have a 100% audit of my drugs, guns, money, and high-end items. ERIN7 cut it down to a week for that. It’s definitely been beneficial. Before ERIN7 we went through some issues with some items being misplaced and things like that. ERIN7 has improved that and given the officers more credibility. For example, my commander has privileges to come in and see everything that I’ve done, that I’ve entered, that I’ve taken out. ERIN7 backs you up and says, “This is what happened to this item. This is where it went. This is the date it went.” It makes everything a little bit easier because they do have more access to the system and see the operations.
When we got ERIN7 with the advanced features, I was like, “Wow, we’ve been missing a lot!”

Has ERIN7 helped in other ways?

My yes! One captain found it much easier to search and find info. For example, getting com stats and the analysis of the number of guns we collected, how many suspects were arrested, etc. With limited privileges, users can do a search on how many firearms they took in during a specific timeframe. We post those stats on our web page for the public to see. These advancements have made work easier and more efficient for a lot of different divisions. We can measure and report on things we never could before.

Is ERIN7 easy to use?

Very! Even casual users find it easy to navigate and get the info they need. The system is simple to maneuver, and if you’re looking for something specific, you just hit your search button. It’s a very easy system to work with.

Does ERIN7 preserve history and knowledge?

That is a very important feature of ERIN7. Any time we need something, it’s there. That was my biggest security concern. You shouldn’t require the property and evidence clerk to know everything, because what if something happened to them? A couple of years ago our sergeant was in charge of everything, and something happened to him. Everybody was at a loss. “Oh, my gosh, what do we do now? Where do we go now?” After that, everything had to change and it was a traumatic event for us. That won’t happen with ERIN7 because it stores everything and most everyone can self-service already.

What tips would you have for someone starting a search for the perfect program?

My three top tips for law enforcement agencies making a move to a digital evidence management system are:
  1. Technical assistance. When you have any issues, you want an immediate, helpful response. Vet the vendor’s support service response time.
  2. Ease-of-use. I have so much evidence to enter every day, so the system needs to be work-friendly and easy to operate.
  3. Ability to meet accreditation requirements. ERIN7 helps us meet all the accreditation standards to pass and stay accredited.

How is the technical support from Erin Technology?

Excellent. They’ve always been a big help, no matter what I need from them. With the new ERIN7, there was a learning process. Their attitude is “Anything you need!” I count on them a lot.

What other department goals has ERIN7 helped you achieve?

  • Checks and balances are crucial. ERIN7 has all the checks and balances we need. For example, on my desktop, I can see my total inventory or my “items ready for disposal” or the ones in “temporary locations.” ERIN7 lays out everything. No more guessing.
  • Knowing precisely what I have in inventory. How many cases do I have? It has “cases for review,” and “cases with review for 31 to 91 days upcoming.” It’s a database that has everything.
  • Knowing which cases are obsolete. It knows which cases are ready for disposal. It helps us purge the junk.
ERIN7 has been such a game-changer for us that I have recommended it to other departments. There is no better endorsement than that.   #Inventory of Evidence, #Types of Evidence, #Digital Files, #Digital Evidence Management Solution, #Law Enforcement Officers, #Repetitive Tasks, #Investigative Process, #Crime Scene, #Critical Evidence, #Digital Evidence Systems, #Evidence Management Process, #Evidence Integrity, #Evidence Management Challenges, #Police Departments, #Public Safety Agencies, #Manual Tasks, #Handwritten Documents, #USB Drives, #Physical Copies, #Solid Chain, #Consolidation of Evidence, #Efficient Evidence Management Software, #Evidence with Courts, #Evidence Types, #Law Enforcement Organizations, #File Types, #Law Enforcement Personnel, #Life of Evidence

Feel free to share if you find this interview helpful. Get in touch with us if you have any questions.