Evidence Collection and Forensics
Forensics means investigating and gathering evidence in such a way that it can be used in legal proceedings.
Evidence can be used in legal proceedings provided it has been preserved in its original state. Evidence loses its integrity if the chain of custody is not maintained.
Chain of Custody
The chain of custody refers to the process of identifying, preserving, analyzing, and presenting evidence in such a manner that it demonstrates the reliability and integrity of the evidence.
Some of the major factors in ensuring an effective chain of custody are discussed in the following subsections.
Identification
This refers to the practice of the identification of evidence. The identification process should not impact the evidence’s integrity. Evidence should not be altered or modified in any way.
Preservation
This refers to the process of preserving the evidence, such as the imaging of original media. This process should be...