Best Practices for Archiving Digital and Multimedia Evidence (DME) in the Criminal Justice System
Scientific Working Group on Imaging Technology (SWGIT)
See also the instructional videos on "Crime Scene and Evidence Photography"
Introduction
It is essential that agencies store their digital and multimedia evidence1 (DME) in such a way and under conditions that will permit access when it is needed. Archiving is the process of storing data in a manner suitable for long-term availability and retrieval. The archiving process is more than just the preservation of physical media. In cases where archiving is desired, this should be planned for from the moment the DME is generated, processed or seized.
This document is intended to familiarize the reader with issues surrounding archiving DME and suggests best practices for establishing and maintaining an archiving program. This document is not intended to cover the archiving of administrative documents or public records but may prove useful in the archiving of non-evidentiary images, video, and related files.
Why Archiving is Needed
Archiving is needed to ensure that stored DME is available for future use. The techniques employed should be chosen to ensure that data can be located, accessed and used. DME is sometimes required to be stored for long periods of time per statutory requirement and/or departmental policies and regulations.
What Should be Archived
DME that you are legally permitted to possess and that may be required for future access should be archived. Keep in mind that it may be necessary to retain original software and hardware, or to transfer data from one type of media to another, in order to access archived DME in the future.