The spatial distribution of optical rotation α and surviving linear polarization fraction {\beta }_L of light scattered from cylindrical turbid chiral (glucose-containing) and achiral samples is studied using a linear Stokes polarimeter. α and {\beta }_L are measured in and off the incident plane as the detection angle changes from the forward to the backward direction. The experimental results exhibit a complex dependence on the detection geometry: α is more sensitive to glucose presence off the incident plane, whereas {\beta }_L exhibits larger effects in-plane, as validated by polarization sensitive Monte Carlo simulations. A rigorous methodology is presented for optimizing the experimental geometry in the polarimetric examinations of complex random systems.