Besides universities, there are associated degree programs too, but the best way to build a solid career in criminal justice is to attend the courses of forensic science colleges that are accredited by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the Accreditation Commission. For BA programs, you’ll need around five years to complete the training, and if you need to continue studies for an advanced forensic specialization, two-year MA programs are available. It is important to keep in mind several aspects before choosing between the various curricula available with forensic science colleges.

First of all, the aims of certain college programs differ from case to case. It is crucial that you know where the training will lead you. This difference in focus enables forensic science colleges to educate trainees that work for the same criminal justice system, in similar, yet distinct jobs. You can get to work in a lab without being a supervisor, or you can specialize in crime scene investigation or in computer applied forensics. These are very general examples of what jobs you may want to apply for at the completion of a certain course. After graduation, depending on the programs of the forensic science colleges, you’ll enter a certain work level in forensic institutions.

For MA degree admittance special requirements are often common. And tougher competition is easy to recognize at such forensic science colleges. Thus, classes of genetics, physics, calculus, immunology, biology and biostatistics are a must among several others. Moreover, a BA is also a necessity for the admittance to the MA programs, not to mention that any experience in forensic work is considered an advantage. Extra courses may be necessary in case you lack real experience, otherwise, you will miss the support necessary for more advanced forensic programs.

Most of us are aware that the hard disk drive of a computer holds the most current information available as well as a variety of other forensically valuable data such as local temporary files and internet history records. So if you have the hard disk drive is there any reason to look at backup data tapes?

With computer forensic work there is often a background investigation conducted meaning that it is preferable that the less people that are involved is the choice to conduct the investigation. Where there is the ability to use data that is from a tape archive it is often a way to carry out an investigation more discretely and does not require that entire systems must be seized. When it is possible to locate data backup tapes this is an option to conduct an investigation or audit with the potential to do so without alerting those being investigated or audited.

With an audit for example the disruption spreads further than that business or person being audited and raises fear in others and being able to covertly carry out the data analysis, prior to any investigative results, reduces any stress or loss of morale of others who are not perhaps directly involved.

Data in local systems comes and goes and can often be replaced, especially where this is the intention of the business or person being investigated. Back up data information provides a snap-shot of a system or systems and therefore provides a historical record. Therefore if there is an attempt to remove information from a local system and that information was previously stored on a back up system then that information will be able to be recovered within the backup data tape.

Those who specialize in this form of investigation will work back through the backup data tapes and can therefore gain a greater insight into any system abuse or illegal behavior that may have taken place. Unless the person who is attempting to erase information has a great knowledge of the system and erasure techniques then the information that is being sought, if it in fact exists, should be located within the backup infrastructure.

Those conducting the investigation of the data must have knowledge of the backup infrastructure itself. There is likely to be a significant amount of information stored within backup tapes so knowledge of how to process this information to reduce the search time requirements is a key factor. This is especially important relating to cost factors as well as man-power and time to conduct any investigation or audit.

As an example, if there are 3000 tapes that require 3 hours each to read completely and you could use 10 systems with 80% operating time this would mean the required time to read the 3000 tapes would be approximately 50 days. This does not take into account the requirement to actually analyze and organize the data itself.

In these cases a pre-scanning system for the specific type of tape and system is required to reduce the actual time for identification of the data on each of the tapes. When this is effectively carried out the time can be reduced from 3 hours per tape down to approximately 15 minutes per tape. That therefore reduces the time period from 50 days to around 4 days for the reading of the data.

The point being that while the data tapes hold the information required a suitable system must be available to sort and categorize the information to eliminate irrelevant data and only leave those investigating the tapes the information that they require to complete a more thorough analysis of the relevant facts.

There are a great many factors in computer forensic analysis and there are no standard systems that will apply to all data tapes. A great understanding of the system and where the data may be stored is generally the first step in the investigation, after retrieval of the data tapes. This information is of course beneficial to those being investigated as well as those who wish to have some investigation completed. There is a great deal of information available about the abilities of computer forensics and if this is something that interests you it is suggested you yourself “dig a little deeper” into your particular angle of computer forensics. .

This expanded use of computers, mobile phones and pda’s has lead to a large rise in the amount of electronic data that now exists.  Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twiiter encourage the sharing of this information with friends in the real world as well as friends who are purely online acquaintances.  Often it is the sharing of unauthorised data and where it is being downloaded to that causes issues.

Not all data that is shared over the Internet is completely innocent.  Unfortunately the convenience of emails and downlaodable content for the general public also means that it is convenient for criminals.

As an arm of forensic science, computer forensics involves the analysis of electronic data that is stored on a computer or computer network.  Computer forensic experts will usually examine such data often as part of a criminal investigation, to find out more details about a particular crime.

Often computer system investigations involve seizing the suspected machines and anlaysing their usage profiles, scanning their hard drives and a multiple of advanced techniques that can restore data that will have been ‘deleted’ by the user.

In recent times computer forensics is known to have been employed effectively to provide intelligence information to help prevent terrorist activities, to identify data theft by employees and to convict criminals who have stored illegal material on their computers.

Conversely, computer forensics can also prove the innoncence of anyone suspected of illegal activity.  Like any other branch of forensic science, computer forensic experts will often be able to help make so-called ‘fuzzy’ pictures clearer and by providing a high level of evidence that is accurate and can be relied upon in court.