14. Type of crime

• Type of crime dictates the way digital evidence collection and examination is performed. Consider:

  • Homicide

  • Missing person

  • Network intrusion

  • Printing counterfeit money

• Computer role determines how it will be used as an evidence:

  • few pieces of evidence may not be enough to collect the entire computer as evidence.

  • large amounts of information on a specific computer make it a key evidence, yielding a warrant to collect the whole computer as evidence.

  • it is easier to obtain a warrant in a criminal investigation, rather than in a civil dispute case.