THE COMPUTER CRIME INVESTIGATIVE METHODS DESCRIBED INVOLVES SEVEN PHASES: INITIAL INVESTIGATION, INVESTIGATION PLANNING, INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS, INTERVIEWING AND INTERROGATION, TECHNICAL DATA SYSTEMS REVIEW, FORENSIC INVESTIGATION, AND CASE PRESENTATION IN COURT. ONCE INVESTIGATORS RECEIVE A REQUEST TO CONDUCT CRIMINAL INQUIRY, THEIR FIRST JOB IS TO LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE CASE AS POSSIBLE. A PRELIMINARY INFORMATION-GATHERING MEETING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE NATURE OF THE CRIME, THE PROBABLE DEGREE OF TECHNICALITY INVOLVED, AND THE NAMES OF POTENTIAL SUSPECTS. BASED ON THIS INITIAL INFORMATION, INVESTIGATORS THEN PLAN THEIR INVESTIGATIVE APPROACH. THE PLAN SHOULD BE A WRITTEN DOCUMENT CONTAINING THE NAMES OF THE AREAS, PERSONS, DOCUMENTS, FILES, AND OTHER FACTORS TO BE INVESTIGATED. THE NAME OF THE INVESTIGATOR ASSIGNED, DATES ON WHICH INVESTIGATIONS STARTED AND ENDED, AND BRIEF COMMENTS ON THE CASE SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED. DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE CRIME, INFORMATION GATHERING MAY BE SIMPLE OR DIFFICULT. INFORMATION ON SUSPECTS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM VARIOUS OUTSIDE SOURCES SUCH AS THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, FORMER EMPLOYERS, CREDIT AGENCIES, MEDICAL FILES, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS. INTERNAL INFORMATION GATHERING MAY INCLUDE SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION, JOB DESCRIPTIONS, PROCEDURE MANUALS, AUDIT INFORMATION, FLOWCHARTS, PROGRAM LISTINGS, PROGRAM NARRATIVES, FILE LAYOUTS, APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION, AND COMPUTERIZED AND MANUAL FILES. BECAUSE PROPERLY PERFORMED INTERVIEWING AND INTERROGATION ARE PARTICULARLY NECESSARY, GIVEN THE TECHNICAL NATURE OF THE CRIME, INTERROGATORS SHOULD BE EXPERT IN THESE AREAS AND ALSO SHOULD BE FULLY AWARE OF ANY LEGAL LIABILITIES WHICH MAY ARISE. REVIEWS OF TECHNICAL DATA SYSTEMS WILL ALSO BE NECESSARY AS AN AID IN INTERROGATION AND GENERAL INVESTIGATION. BECAUSE EVIDENCE REMOVED FROM THE CRIME SCENE (I.E., COMPUTER PRINTOUTS, MAGNETIC TAPES) CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN TYING THE CRIME SCENE AND THE CRIMINAL TOGETHER, FORENSIC SCIENCE PLAYS A KEY ROLE. FINALLY, SINCE THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF A CRIMINAL PROSECUTION DEPENDS UPON THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN COURT, THE INVESTIGATORS--AS THE CHIEF RESOURCE FOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE CASE, WORKING PAPERS, INCIDENT REPORTS, AND EXHIBITS--SHOULD HAVE A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF THE RULES OF EVIDENCE. NO REFERENCES ARE CITED. SEE ALSO NCJ 41264, 44885, AND 45026.