The Importance Of Digital Evidence

Potential digital evidence is everywhere, and for law enforcement can be the cause of a lengthy seizure process. Knowing what to consider digital evidence and how to properly seize digital evidence is important for all members of law enforcement to ensure the evidence is protected for potential court cases.
Digital evidence is defined as electronic data, materials, objects, property, documents, or records that are presented in court to prove or disprove allegations made against an arrestee. Digital evidence takes the form of electronic data or information stored in bits and bytes on magnetic media. Digital evidence can be photos, videos, text documents, Internet activity logs, phone numbers, or any other data that are stored electronically that have relevance to a criminal case (Knetzger & Muaski, 2008). Devices can also be seized which can potentially hold digital evidence. Some examples of the devices to which store this data are personal computers, computer media discs, cellular phones, digital cameras, and MP3 players, and this is just to name a few of the devices out there that hold this information.
It is a crime scene investigators first mission to never change a crime scene or alter evidence, so it is important for first responders, or law enforcement personnel to remember this upon first reaching or entering a crime scene. The main goal is to document and preserve the scene exactly as it was when the crime was committed (Knetzger & Muaski, 2008). The first thing that law enforcement personnel wants to do is photograph the scene from multiple vantage points, which will be used as evidence of how the property was when law enforcement arrived on the scene of the crime.
Secondly, it is important that law enforcement know ...

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... magnetic media, wiping it clean. Another main focus of importance is to document each person in the chain of custody and what that Person’s role was. Actions taken by each person should also be documented. This is especially critical in a digital evidence case, because the forensic specialist will need to state unequivocally that data were not added, modified, deleted, or otherwise manipulated while that computer or digital device was in police custody (Knetzger & Muaski, 2008).
It is important that all law enforcement have some knowledge in seizing computer (digital) evidence. With the internet, social media, and electronic devices being in not only everyone’s home, but in everyone’s hand in the form of a cell phone now a days digital crimes are increasing. Understand these few pieces of information about digital evidence can either make a case, or break it.