Top-Tier Needs for Gathering, Utilizing Digital Evidence

A recent report describes the results of a National Institute of Justice (NIJ)-sponsored research effort to identify and prioritize criminal justice needs related to digital evidence collection, management, analysis and use. As the types and sophistication of electronic media from which digital evidence can be gleaned increase, this type of evidence will become an essential part of investigating and prosecuting most crimes. However, while the potential is great, there are significant challenges in exploiting digital evidence including educating prosecutors to make more-focused use of digital evidence and educating judges to better understand the issues surrounding use of digital evidence in the courtroom. To read the report, Digital Evidence and the U.S. Criminal Justice System: Identifying Technology and Other Needs to More Effectively Acquire and Utilize Digital Evidence, go to https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248770.pdf.