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21 Med. Sci. & L. 1 (1981)

handle is hein.journals/mdsclw21 and id is 1 raw text is: Printed in Great Britain Editorial 1 Editorial Unfortunately there is no modern fountain of Acadia1 ; times change and if we in forensic science are to remain credible we must change with these times. There is no single universally applicable means by which this simple pres- cription can be filled; with rapidly advancing technology and man's intrinsic ingenuity- especially for the illicit-we face a multiplicity of complex problems. It is almost 25 years (1956) since Hilton2 gave a general description of a document-a search of earlier works has not revealed such wisdom. In various paraphrased forms Hilton's description has survived. Currently, an almost universally accepted form is that 'a document is any material thing bearing marks which convey information'. The present writer explained the elemental structure as being threefold, viz.: (i) a base material; (ii) a visual image; and (iii) a applicator.3 All stood well until a decision in the Chancery Division of the High Court 'deemed a tape recording to be a document'.4 A funda- mental and far-reaching question arises there- from, need the 'image' (ante) be 'visible'? According to Mr Justice Walton the answer is an unequivocal 'no'. The force or implication of this decision has not yet fully manifested itself; we spoke (above) of advancing technology, and one aspect of this, which affects almost all of mankind, is the much maligned 'computer'. Not only do these devices operate at superhuman speeds, they also 'speak' a different language, which is in an inhuman form; i.e. it is neither conventional writing nor speech, but requires translation to be intelligible to humans. If a tape recording has been deemed a 'document' can this be extended to other 'records'-cylinders, discs (whether 'floppy' or otherwise), tapes (which may be sensitized plastic material), or paper on (or is it 'in') which the recorded information is by means of a series of holes punched from the base material. The wide diversity of the basic materials themselves coupled with their manufactured forms is of astronomical proportions, but in spite of this such 'documents' are in daily use throughout the civilized world. Referring to man's ingenuity (ante) this is put to many nefarious activities and computer records are not immune therefrom. In a recent book review Crown5 stated that document examiners in the USA are presently being requested to examine computer records. Whilst many examiners have in the past exa- mined 'till-rolls' or other machine recordings, the thought of computer records in their modern bizarre form is an awesome one. It is one which Crown points out requires know- ledge of a very different nature from that of the conventional document examiner. Are we then to see a new group of workers in the forensic sciences-those who are able to examine computer records in all their various and daunting forms? The present numerically exclusive much harassed examiner finds con- siderable difficulty in accommodating even small increases of calls upon his services-in conventional matters, the cost of which is a constant problem especially for those in 'private' practice; examination in the areas of this 'new' technology are out of the question. These 'documents' of this new, to some, lucrative technology could well sound the knell for some who for one reason or another cannot engage in such matters; hopefully it will peal out an introduction of others to this fascinating profession. REFERENCES 1. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1874). 2. Hilton 0. (1956) Scientific Examination of Ques- tioned Documents. Callaghan & Co., Chicago. 3. Baxter P. G. (1969) Med. Sci. Law 9, No. 1. 4. Times Law Report, 21 February 1974. 5. Crown D. (1980)j. Forens. Sci. 25, No. 2.

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