The process of handling digital evidence is especially vulnerable to errors. Just like blood samples or fingerprints, which may easily be contaminated at the crime scene, digital evidence may also be damaged during collection and extraction unless strict procedures are followed. The storage and safekeeping of physical records, such as witness statements, crime scene photographs, facsimiles of manuscripts, and so forth, require prudent record-keeping and safe custody, thus facilitating their production as evidence. It must be reiterated that the courts expect that digital evidence can be shown to be unaltered or contaminated from its point of seizure to the time it is tendered in legal proceedings.
This is no different from crime scene preservation, which requires preservation of the evidence in pristine condition. In traditional crime scenes, it is not uncommon for the scene to be disturbed by those who make discovery...