Define 'evidence integrity vs evidence admissibility' in forensic investigations.

• A. Admissibility concerns whether evidence can be used in court, while integrity is about data being identical to its original form
• B. Integrity ensures evidence remains unchanged; admissibility relates to legal acceptance, requiring proper chain-of-custody, collection procedures, and authenticity
• C. Both terms mean the same thing in practice
• D. Admissibility refers only to the age of evidence

Answer: (B)

In forensic investigations, evidence integrity means keeping the data unchanged from the moment it is collected to when it is presented, which is supported by practices like write-blocking, imaging with verifiable hashes, and a secure, documented storage process. Evidence admissibility, on the other hand, is about whether that evidence can be used in court, which depends on meeting legal requirements such as proper collection procedures, an unbroken chain of custody, authentication of the evidence, and adherence to rules of evidence.

This distinction is why the best answer ties integrity to remaining unaltered and admissibility to being legally acceptable, requiring both robust handling procedures and proper documentation. If the data is altered, integrity is compromised, potentially making the evidence unusable in court even if it was initially collected correctly. Conversely, even if the data remains pristine, it might be inadmissible if the collection, handling, or authentication practices were flawed.