Professor Dana Wilson-Kovacs

I am a qualitative sociologist whose current research examines how digital forensics is used in police investigations in England and Wales, focusing on operational contexts and demands, resources, or­­gan­­i­­sa­­tion­­al settings, and pro­­fes­­sion­al va­­lues. Long-term, I have been interested in (1) the interface between forensic and policing cultures, (2) the ways in which outside the laboratory forensic expertise is acquired, applied and recognised and (3) the impact of forensics on investigative practices.

Funding

• Digital evidence-based policing: examining the impact of digital evidence strategies in criminal justice outcomes (December 2023-June 2025) Principal Investigator. ESRC-IAA, University of Exeter.
• Human Factors and Digital Technology in Forensic Science: Decision-Making and Legal Implications. (January-April 2022) Co-Investigator. Principal Investigators: Dr. Bethany Growns and Dr. Rebecca Helm. Policy Support Fund, University of Exeter.
• Understanding the Use of Digital Forensics in Policing in England and Wales: An Ethnographic Analysis of Current Practices and Professional Dynamics (September 2018-June 2022). Principal Investigator. Co-Investigators: Prof. Brian Rappert and Prof. Sabina Leonelli. ESRC. 
• Digital Forensics in UK Policing: An Ethnographic Investigation of a Rapidly-Developing Forensic Domain (September 2017- August 2019). Principal Investigator. British Academy. 
• Triage in Digital Forensics (January 2017-July 2017). Innovation, Impact and Business Link Award, University of Exeter.