Forensic Technology

Action taken by law enforcement before, during, and after an investigation can play a vital role in the resolution of any case. A careful, thorough investigation is the key to ensure potential physical evidence is not destroyed or a potential witness is overlooked. This is because; all crime scenes are unique. It is impossible to conduct a single, step-by-step procedure to approach every type of situation. However, there are principles of investigating a crime scene and preserving evidence that should be practiced in every case.

In addition, there have been cases where the first responding officer was not a police officer and had to call for help.  Likewise, there have also been cases in which the first responding police officer has to call for help during an electronic crime scene due to lack of experience. This is because; not all police officials are trained in the area of electronic crime scenes. Even though, a first responding officer may have to call for help there are still basic procedures the officer has to follow such as providing assistance to any victims, securing the scene, and taking suspects into custody.

Moreover, when it comes to a specialty trained electronic crime scene officer they are expected to follow eight basic guidelines.

1)       Secure the scene to minimize contamination.

2)       Protect the evidence.

3)       Evaluate the computer and electronic equipment.

4)       Observe whether any computers are turned on and if so follow precautions.

5)       Inform the crime scene supervisor in the event that the crime scene will require the use of   fingerprint powders.

6)       Take care in disassembling and packaging items for transport.

7)       Transport computers and other electronic instruments and evidence with caution.

8)       Store and maintain computers and electronic equipment in an environment conductive to preserving data contained in the equipment and that it is free from magnetic fields.

     Last, information collected in reference to any crime scene is very important to help solve a case, help victims, and detain criminals to help make the world a better place. Even though, many electronic crimes go un-noticed they are out there and

criminals are destroying families on a daily basis through the use of computers.  However, with the use computer forensic science

computer crimes will eventually fade away or lessen due to the fact criminals may be too paranoid they may get caught