An Approach to Quantifying the Plausibility of the Inadvertent Download Defence

TY - JOUR

T1 - An Approach to Quantifying the Plausibility of the Inadvertent Download Defence

AU - Overill, Richard Edward

AU - Chow, Kam-Pui

PY - 2016/12/19

Y1 - 2016/12/19

N2 - A table of 95% confidence limits on the probabilities for randomly downloading relatively small numbers of illegal images or sensitive documents amongst a relatively large number of other images or documents has been computed. It is anticipated that these data will assist prosecution officials in arriving at a decision as to whether or not there is a reasonable likelihood of a successful criminal prosecution when the inadvertent download defence is employed in cases of possession of child pornography, terrorist material or espionage related documents. The same data can also be used by defence counsels to assess the strength of the prosecution’s case.

AB - A table of 95% confidence limits on the probabilities for randomly downloading relatively small numbers of illegal images or sensitive documents amongst a relatively large number of other images or documents has been computed. It is anticipated that these data will assist prosecution officials in arriving at a decision as to whether or not there is a reasonable likelihood of a successful criminal prosecution when the inadvertent download defence is employed in cases of possession of child pornography, terrorist material or espionage related documents. The same data can also be used by defence counsels to assess the strength of the prosecution’s case.

KW - Probability theory; confidence interval; binomial distribution, inadvertent download defence; possession of child pornography; counter terrorism; counter espionage

U2 - 10.1080/20961790.2016.1253142

DO - 10.1080/20961790.2016.1253142

M3 - Article

SN - 2096-1790

VL - 1

SP - 28

EP - 32

JO - Forensic Sciences Research

JF - Forensic Sciences Research

IS - 1

M1 - 4

ER -