Digital Evidence in the Courtroom: A Guide for Law Enforcement and Prosecutors
Law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and judges are overwhelmed by the amount of information required to keep pace with the rapid changes involving the computer and its associated devices and features. Criminals continually alter, revise, or create hardware, software, viruses, and other attacks in an effort to disguise criminal activity and thwart detection. In addition to being familiar with these changes in technology, law enforcement officers and prosecutors also must stay abreast of the latest revisions of applicable laws.
To assist prosecutorial offices and associated law enforcement agencies, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has developed a series of guides dealing with digital evidence to address the complete investigation process. This process expands from the crime scene, through analysis, and finally into the courtroom. The guides summarize information from select groups of practitioners who are knowledgeable about the subject matter.
