Different criminal investigations will require different kinds of computer forensic analysis. Thus, between homicide and corporate date theft, the procedure will vary a lot. There are however some general common grounds that are encountered with both procedures. First of all, finding evidence that can be accepted in a court of law is not enough. Before getting to court, a computer forensics investigator has to make sure that he/she extracts and preserves evidence, preventing decay or damage that would make it unusable. Furthermore, the forensic analysis actually starts when the crime scene has been thoroughly searched by the forensic experts.

Traces and evidence cannot be identified on site, it takes professional computer forensic analysis to find relevant details and establish facts. Thus, fingerprint matching, facial portraits from DNA prints, analysis of minerals, textiles, germs and bacteria as well as other elements collected on the crime scene get under micro-scrutiny to be proved or improved as relevant or irrelevant for criminal justice. In case victims are involved in the forensic analysis, medical exams and checks will be performed by people who are qualified to identify anything with relevance for the case.

People often get a false impression that any forensic analysis inevitably refers to manslaughter or some very serious crime involving victims, but forensic investigations are conducted for a whole range of other reasons. Where there is a work accident, a fire, a case of identity or data theft, situations of financial fraud and so on, professional forensic analysis helps close files and clarifies lots of situations. We tend to attribute a criminal justice picture to forensic analysis but this is the model we’ve grown used from TV series such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; yet reality could be very different from that.

Moreover, information on how a computer forensic investigation is conducted is plentiful in Discovery documentaries in the forensic crime investigations. It seems like there is an international trend to be fascinated with the sensationalism of violence and ever younger people are psychologically affected by such trends in the group subconscious. Nobody should interfere with forensic investigation because without knowing it one could destroy or ruin evidence and affect the very course of a trial. Professionals know what they have to do, so we should let them to. A forensic analysis is not amateur detective work but something a lot more complex from the scientific point of view.