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Forensic Interpretation and Processing of User Generated Audio Recordings

NCJ Number
308889
Author(s)
Robert C. Maher
Date Published
October 2020
Annotation

This publication discusses the forensic interpretation and processing of user generated audio recordings (UGRs).

Abstract

In this paper, researchers study analytical and practical constraints for combining and synchronizing user-generated recordings (UGRs) and develop forensic recommendations. For audio forensic analysis, it is increasingly likely that multiple UGRs may be presented as evidence in a criminal investigation. Audio evidence may come from handheld smartphones, private surveillance systems, police body cameras, and other unsynchronized recording devices. When multiple UGRs are available, the recordings could provide spatial and temporal information about the location and orientation of sound sources, and potentially a means to increase intelligibility of spoken utterances. However, UGRs generally start and stop at different times, differ in technical format specifications, and seldom have sufficiently reliable time stamp information for exact time and position synchronization. (Published Abstract Provided)