▁overall ▁responsibility ▁for ▁ens uring ▁that ▁ ▁the ▁law ▁and ▁these ▁principles ▁are ▁ad her ed ▁to . ▁ ▁These ▁gu idel ines ▁are ▁widely ▁accepted ▁in ▁courts ▁of ▁England ▁and ▁Scotland , ▁but ▁they ▁do ▁not ▁const itute ▁a ▁legal ▁requirement ▁and ▁their ▁use ▁is ▁volunt ary . ▁It ▁is ▁arg u able ▁that ▁whilst ▁volunt ary , ▁non ▁ad her ence ▁is ▁almost ▁certain ▁to ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁ex clusion ▁of ▁evidence ▁that ▁does ▁not ▁comp ly ▁subject ▁to ▁the ▁prov isions ▁of ▁s ▁ 7 8 ▁Police ▁and ▁C riminal ▁Ev idence ▁Act ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁( Power ▁to ▁exclude ▁evidence ▁obtained ▁unf air ly ) ▁ ▁AD AM ▁Princi ples ▁Building ▁on ▁the ▁A CP O ▁Gu idel ines ▁with ▁a ▁more ▁generic ▁application ▁outside ▁of ▁law ▁enfor cement , ▁a ▁doctor al ▁th esis ▁proposed ▁the ▁following ▁overrid ing ▁principles ▁to ▁be ▁followed ▁by ▁digital ▁for ens ic ▁pract ition ers : ▁The ▁activities ▁of ▁the ▁digital ▁for ens ic ▁pract ition er ▁should ▁not ▁alter ▁the ▁original ▁data . ▁If ▁the ▁requirements ▁of ▁the ▁work ▁mean ▁that ▁this ▁is ▁not ▁possible ▁then ▁the ▁effect ▁of ▁the ▁pract ition er ’ s ▁actions ▁on ▁the ▁original ▁data ▁should ▁be ▁clearly ▁identified ▁and ▁the ▁process ▁that ▁caused ▁any ▁changes ▁just ified . ▁A ▁complete ▁record ▁of ▁all ▁activities ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁and ▁handling ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁data ▁and ▁any ▁copies ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁data ▁must ▁be ▁maintained . ▁This ▁includes ▁comp liance ▁with ▁the ▁appropriate