The video clip, or "one good picture", is in most cases compelling enough to encourage early resolution of the incident and avoid a protracted judicial process. However, on occasion, the evidence must be used in a court of law, and the admissibility of digital video becomes an important factor in the prosecution's case.
While there are no laws directly governing the use of digital images in a prosecution case, guidelines recommended by legal and scientific experts are available.
Flashback incorporates the important methods for establishing authenticity
An audit log, which cannot be modified or deleted, records all access to DVR files
Compliance with Standard Operating Procedures3 (SOPs) ensures the required chain of custody
The original version of the stored video is safeguarded on the DVR
The units are tamper-resistant and password-protected
Each frame is time and date stamped
A video security watermark provides an instant check of the authenticity of stored clips
Original images are stored on the DVR, but there are a number of common tools available for downloading, printing, or saving of video records in standard formats.
Video snapshots can be extracted as JPEG files, while video clips can be extracted as AVI files. Electronic files can simply be attached to e-mails or downloaded to read-only media, such as a CD-ROM, for easy and timely distribution to corporate investigators or law enforcement agencies.
