Forensic Tools Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Forensic Tools - Research Paper Example The tools need to be validated to ensure reliability (Brunty, 2011). They are highly trusted by the community that deals with legal issues. For instance, judges highly trust forensic tools the way scientists trust scientific processes to make their study results consistent and verifiable. Forensic tools should not be used as scientific processes because they are not scientific in nature. They have to be validated before being used. Validation enables the legal community to match a forensic tool with the nature of investigation and types of data to be collected. The validation is also important because it increases one’s confidence when using the tools. The process is vital when giving evidence in court that the tools used are effective before presenting the digital proof. Validation increases the competitiveness of a forensic examiner. Without it, the reputation of even the most experience examiner can be destroyed. Validation of the tools is also necessary because it ensures repeatability. When using the same tool, one should be able to obtain the same results after conducting the same test. This proves that the information presented in the tools is of high quality (Evans, Bond & Bement, 2004). In addition, validation ensures reproducibility when using the tools. This means that when using the tools one can obtain the same results even if the same tests are carried out in different settings. One of the organizations that undertake the validation of the tools is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (NSRL, 2001). This organization conducts various projects in laboratories. The aim of the organization entails establishing methodologies for testing the effectiveness of the forensic tools. For instance, the organization develops the tools specifications and tests sets. It also identifies the general test procedure and standards. The