Cognitive and human factors in digital forensics: Problems, challenges, and the way forward

This review paper covers the forensic-relevant literature in digital evidence from 2016 to 2019 as a part of the 19th Interpol International Forensic Science Managers Symposium. The review papers are also available at the Interpol website at: https://www.interpol.int/content/download/14458/file/Interpol Review Papers 2019.pdf

Interpol review of digital evidence 2016 - 2019.

The Forensic Science Regulator has the role of setting quality standards for forensic science in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in England and Wales. The current requirement is for organisations carrying out digital forensics to gain accreditation to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025 and the Forensic Science Regulator's Codes of Practice and Conduct. The aim of this requirement is to embed a systematic approach to quality, including understanding methods, validating software and systems, understanding risks, ensuring that all involved in the crime scene to court process have the skills and competence they need and the appropriate equipment and environment for the work, and providing ongoing assurance of quality through audit and proficiency tests. However, the challenge of implementing the standards in digital forensics should not be underestimated, particularly in an environment where there is insufficient capacity to meet a growing demand for services in an area of increasing complexity and fragmented delivery. It is therefore timely to review available data to determine the extent to which accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 is addressing quality issues in digital forensics and consider what changes and resources could be made available to assist with implementation of quality systems.

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Quality standards for digital forensics: Learning from experience in England & Wales

There is growing consensus that there is a crisis in forensic science at the global scale. Whilst restricted resources are clearly part of the root causes of the crisis, a contested identity of forensic science is also a significant factor. A consensus is needed on the identity of forensic science that encompasses what forensic science 'is', and critically, what it is 'for'. A consistent and cogent identity that is developed collaboratively and accepted across the entire justice system is critical for establishing the different attributes of the crisis and being able to articulate effective solutions. The degree to which forensic science is considered to be a coherent, interdisciplinary yet unified discipline will determine how forensic science develops, the challenges it is able to address, and how successful it will be in overcoming the current crisis.

Forensic science. The importance of identity in theory and practice.

The importance of peer review in the field of digital forensics cannot be underestimated as it often forms the primary, and sometimes only form of quality assurance process an organisation will apply to their practitioners' casework. Whilst there is clear value in the peer review process, it remains an area which is arguably undervalued and under-researched, where little academic and industrial commentary can be found describing best practice approaches. This work forms the first of a two part series discussing why the digital forensics discipline and its organisations should conduct peer review in their laboratories, what it should review as part of this process, and how this should be undertaken. Here in part one, a critical review of the need to peer review is offered along with a discussion of the limitations of existing peer review mechanisms. Finally, the ‘Peer Review Hierarchy’ is offered, outlining the seven levels of peer review available for reviewing practitioner findings.

Part 1: The need for peer review in digital forensics

https://research.tees.ac.uk/ws/files/6504479/DF_FP_and_DNA_Standards_1_.pdf

Julienne Foster

Papers

A review of quality procedures in the UK forensic sciences: What can the field of digital forensics learn?