"They got nothin' on me: I deleted my hard drive." Computer forensics is the use of analytical and investigative techniques to identify, collect and examine magnetically stored or encoded evidence. Computer forensic experts specialize in recovering data from computers for use in criminal or corporate investigations. They evaluate intrusions into computer systems and recover data from encrypted or erased files. The information they find helps law enforcement agents fight crimes as wide ranging as prostitution, gang activity and cyber crime.  What Computer Forensics Experts Do When given a project, computer forensics experts first make an exact copy of the hard drive. This protects the integrity of the original and lets them run tests on the duplicate copy to get as much evidence from it as possible. Their job typically involves retrieving deleted or encrypted documents from hard drives. Computer forensics experts often find this the most challenging and fun part of their job. They also work on cell phones and cameras, or any other source of digital information. Computer forensic experts work in a variety of places, including police departments, government agencies, prosecutors' offices, law firms and insurance companies. Computer Forensics Education and Licensure Most computer forensics investigators learn their trade while working for a law enforcement agency, either as a police officer or a civilian computer forensics expert. Some go into law enforcement specifically to get this training and establish a reputation before moving to the private sector. To get computer forensics training outside of law enforcement, a computer science or accounting degree is a good place to start. A computer science degree gives you the technical skills needed, and an accounting degree provides good background knowledge for investigating financial fraud. Because of the growing popularity of this field, many schools now offer certificate programs in computer forensics. These programs are for law enforcement officers, paralegals or others already involved in investigative work. Some colleges and universities also offer bachelor's or master's degrees in computer forensics. Computer forensics experts work with rapidly evolving technologies, so their education never ends. They continually learn about the latest software programs, operating systems and methods of fraud detection by attending conferences and taking additional computer forensics courses. Many students take computer forensics training online to fit education into their already busy lives. There are no licenses specifically for computer forensic investigators, but some states require them to be licensed private investigators. Computer Forensics Salary Computer forensics experts working as private investigators and detectives earned a mean annual salary of $46,480 in 2006. Those working in Virginia, New Jersey, California, Alaska and New York had the highest average salaries, ranging from $52,140 in New York to $65,140 in Alaska. If you practice computer forensics for a police department, your salary will depend on your rank and seniority. In 2006, the median annual salary for police detectives and investigators was $58,260. The middle 50 percent earned between $43,920 and $76,350, but the highest 10 percent earned more than $92,590. Computer Forensics Career Outlook Computer forensics is a relatively new field within criminal justice. With the explosive growth in the use of computers and the internet, computer crime has increased dramatically, as has the existence of computer evidence in virtually all other types of crime. The outlook for job prospects and career opportunities for computer forensics experts will remain strong for many years to come.  Sources: computerforensicsworld.com, bls.gov Criminal Justice Home
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