Tag: forensics
Video Surveillance Evidence: Are Digital Copies Admissible?
Recently, a private investigator posted the following in an association’s listserve to which I belong and it raised some seriously interesting responses: “Technology is advancing rapidly in the digital video camera market and our clients expect crisp high definition video as opposed to the fuzzy standard definition video we are capturing on video cassettes right [...]
March 2011 American PI Podcast Features John Hoda on Missing Heir Research; Forensic, Geneology, and Investigative Skills
The March 2011 podcast of The American Private Investigator with your host, Paul Jaeb, opens with the API News Update with Mike McIntee. Next is an interview with John Hoda of Missing Heirs Finders about identifying opportunities, agency development and the uniqueness of missing heir research due to the need to combine forensic genealogy skills, [...]
Forensic Case Review & Analysis for Criminal Defense Investigations
In Criminal defense investigations a comprehensive examination of the prosecution’s evidence can reveal the flaws of inconsistencies, errors, and omissions. An attack upon the very foundation of their case can topple the inverted pyramid supporting the theory of prosecution. It is important to remember that the documents provided via the discovery process are in fact [...]
Digital Forensics in Anticipation of Litigation
Computers and the nearly ubiquitous smart phones (iPhones, BlackBerries, devices using the Palm and Android operating system, etc.) have become indispensable communication devices in today’s digitally connected society. An endless torrent of electronic information that makes possible telephone calls, email, text messaging and Internet access passes through a vast network supporting these devices. The data [...]
Property Title Forensics
Real estate title records are a valuable source of investigative intelligence. By going beyond a simple “title search”, an investigator can discover factual data and intangible patterns which cannot be found elsewhere. True title research goes beyond just a database search of online or electronic title records. Obtaining the actual physical documents for examination takes [...]
New Online Continuing Education Course for Private Investigators
PIEducation.com, the market leader in continuing education for private investigators, added a new online course to their course catalog called, “An Investigator’s Guide to Professional Forensic Photography” written by veteran crime scene investigators Michael LaForte and Michael Knox of Eagle Crime Scenes, Inc. Photography skills are an integral part of an investigator’s job. Discover how [...]
Forensic Locksmithing
Forensic locksmithing is a relatively unknown field of investigative work that provides a much needed service to law enforcement, government agencies, and private companies. The forensic locksmith, also known as an investigative locksmith, analyzes lock and keying systems for evidence of compromise. This includes determining method of entry, the tools used, the time and skill [...]
How Can I Identify or Locate the Originator of a Digital Image, Illustration or Photograph?
It’s a long shot at best, but depending upon how it was created the image may contain metadata that could help you make the connection to a source… is it a photo or a digital illustration (like you might create in Illustrator or MS Paint)? Oracle Multimedia User’s Guide, 11g Release 1 (11.1) indicates that, [...]
What is Steganography? Hiding Information in Pictures and Sound (Video)
From Wikipedia: “Steganography is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one, apart from the sender and intended recipient, suspects the existence of the message, a form of security through obscurity. The word steganography is of Greek origin and means “concealed writing”. The first recorded use of the [...]
