What is the transfer concept?

• A. Transfer never occurs
• B. Something is always taken to and from a scene
• C. Only evidence leaves a scene
• D. Nothing is moved during processing

Answer: (B)

Transfer concept means that when people, objects, or scenes come into contact, material is exchanged. This is the idea behind Locard’s Exchange Principle: every contact leaves a trace, and something is always taken to and from a scene. In practice, this explains why investigators look for trace evidence on suspects (like fibers, hairs, or residue) and on environments (like footprints or transferred materials). It’s not true that transfer never occurs, nor that only evidence leaves a scene, nor that nothing is moved during processing. The key point is that interactions produce a two-way exchange—something is always moved between the scene and the people or objects involved.