A Small Matter of Size

• NCJ Number: 211951
• Author(s): National Law Enforcement And Corrections Technology Center
• Date Published: January 2005
• Length: 2 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

This article describes the features of memory cards that can store information in computers, MP3 players, and digital cameras, and it emphasizes the importance of identifying and including these cards in evidence collection.

Abstract

Joshua Bartolomie, an electronic crime specialist at the National Institute of Justice's CyberScience Laboratory (CSL) in Rome, NY, advises that "cards the size of a postage stamp can hold up to three times the information stored on a CD-ROM." To help law enforcement officers recognize these multimedia storage devices, the CSL staff developed a desktop reference card that depicts 11 miniature memory cards commonly used in cell phones, personal digital assistants, MP3 players, laptops, desktops, and digital cameras. These cards can store any type of data, including audio, pictures, video, and documents. The technology industry is already promoting new media cards expected to be available in the summer of 2005. They will be even smaller than current cards and hold three times more information. Because technological advances occur at such a rapid pace, CSL plans to update its reference card several times a year.