Destruction Is Tough
from the not-so-easy dept
It’s a popular past time to get rid of evidence when you’re about to get into trouble. However, time and time again, that evidence seems to pop up again down the road. This article from the Atlantic reminds everyone that destruction is not easy. Shredded documents can be put back together. Electronic documents have backups, and even when deleted, the may not really be deleted. Burying things often just preserves them for later finds (or if you have a change of heart). Fire is often a good method for destroying stuff – but it doesn’t always work, and can sometimes backfire. Basically, if you’re in a position where you need to destroy some form of evidence, you’re probably best off just giving yourself up.
Comments on “Destruction Is Tough”
Geez...
You forgot acid. So it might be a little tricky to get large quantities of concentrated acid, but it’ll probably do the trick…. BTW, what’s wrong with fire?
🙂
Re: Geez...
One of my law professors put it this way:
It’s usually pretty tough for prosecutors to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt, especially when it comes to white-collar/corporate type crimes. To be sure, prosecutors get lots of convictions, but a lot can happen over the course of a criminal case.
But obstruction of justice is one of the *easiest* crimes to prove. If you’re under investigation, don’t make the prosecutor’s job easier….