AI-Generated Evidence and Public Trust in Criminal Justice: The Mediating Role of Digital Forensic Awareness
Contributors
- Muhammad Khan Advocate, Islamabad High Court, Islamabad, Pakistan.
- Muhammad Essa Khan Deputy Director (Administration), Elite Police Training School, Punjab Police, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
- Quaim Abbas Frontier Law College, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Abstract
The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the criminal justice system has changed the way in which evidence is collected, analyzed and used for decision making. While AI-generated evidence can greatly enhance efficiency, accuracy, and forensic analysis of investigations, public trust is a significant consideration for its effective implementation. This research explores the connection between the perception of evidence created by AI, digital forensic awareness, and public confidence in justice. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design is used, and data is collected from 300 respondents such as Pakistani university students, public and legal professionals. Analysis of data is done by SPSS with reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis and mediation analysis. The results showed that the trust in criminal justice is significantly affected by perceived reliability of the evidence provided by AI. Also, evidence perception is found to have a positive impact on the awareness of digital forensics, and digital forensic awareness has a significant positive impact on public confidence in justice-related processes supported by AI. The mediation analysis indicates that the perception of digital evidence created by AI is a crucial mechanism by which AI impacts on public trust, with digital forensic awareness playing a significant role in this process. Additionally, the study underscores the need for raising awareness, transparency, and knowledge regarding digital forensics to facilitate the responsible and trustworthy incorporation of AI technologies into criminal justice systems.
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Corresponding Author
Muhammad Khan
Advocate, Islamabad High Court, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Corresponding Author: [email protected]
