Today's economic crimes investigator requires a high degree of computer knowledge to be proficient at his or her job. For instance there are said to be over 100 different makes of computer and well in excess of 1000 accounting programme packages currently on the market. While some of the packages will contain similarities there are always features unique to a particular package. These finer points create difficulties even for persons with many years of computer experience.
Many businesses now hold some or all of their business systems on computers and this introduces an added dimension to the investigator's work when undertaking the process of record examination. An appreciation of the problem is illustrated as 3.6 gigabytes of hard disk space will accommodate data sheets of A4 paper stacked to the height of the Statue of Liberty
Computer forensics relating to the preservation, identification, extraction and documentation of computer evidence presents the next hurdle, and includes for instance knowing how to counter destructive programs and traps that can be planted by computer users bent on destroying data and evidence.
Databases for managing investigations, intelligence, case preparation and a range of other investigative tasks require that investigators have the skills to input and use that data in managing, searching and visualising the information acquired from their enquiries.
Computerised Approach to Investigation training will be of benefit to all economic crimes investigators and in particular those who require a special knowledge of the capture of computer evidence.