Video evidence is used in court cases and can be recorded on VHS or digital format. It must undergo a rigorous handling procedure to be admissible. Security cameras and digital cameras are commonly used, but the reliability of video evidence is debated. The psychological impact of video evidence is also debated.
Video evidence is any form of video used as admissible evidence in a court of law. It can be recorded on a home video system (VHS) or in digital format. There has been an increase in the use of both types of video as evidence in court cases. This has led to debates about its proper use.
Video evidence can come in many different formats. Most often, VHS footage from a security camera is used as evidence of a crime in a public place. There has also been an increase in the use of video captured with digital cameras as evidence during court trials. With the advent of portable video devices, amateurs who have unintentionally found themselves at the scene of a crime can capture what happened on phones, digital cameras or laptop computers. Sometimes these videos end up on public sites.
To be admissible in court, video evidence must undergo a rigorous handling procedure. The name of whoever manages the evidence is cataloged and the video is stored in an air-conditioned place, this to ensure that it is not tampered with in any way. If the treatment procedure is not followed, the videotape may be considered inadmissible evidence, even if relevant to the case.
Images captured by a security camera or cell phone are often grainy. This makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions from the videotape evidence. In response to this problem, video evidence can be sent to a crime lab, where authorized technicians use software to filter out the “noise” and get a clear picture.
As video editing software becomes more prevalent, there have been concerns about the true reliability of video evidence. Many security cameras put a code on the video frame by frame, so that if someone is removed or cut again, it will be immediately apparent that the code numbers are out of sync. Upon seizure, a video will also be held in write-only mode or the “record” button will be removed so it cannot be deleted or recorded.
The psychological impact of using video evidence is often debated by lawmakers. Visual images are considered the most compelling evidence in a case, but they still only tell one side of the story. If a video has no audio or is shot from an angle, it may not be an accurate representation of what actually happened, however, it can influence a jury’s decision.
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