Date
8-20-2026
Department
Helms School of Government
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)
Chair
Evaristus Obinyan
Keywords
digital forensics, digital evidence, law enforcement, workforce development, Human Capital Theory, Routine Activities Theory, mixed-methods research
Disciplines
Law | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Recommended Citation
Thornsburg, Chip, "Digital Forensic Skill Gaps among Law Enforcement and Implications for Modern Criminal Investigations" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8845.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8845
Abstract
Digital evidence has become a routine component of modern criminal investigations; however, many law enforcement agencies face challenges in developing the personnel, training, and resources needed to manage increasingly complex digital evidence. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to examine digital forensic skill gaps among Texas local law enforcement agencies and their implications for modern criminal investigations. Guided by Human Capital Theory and Routine Activities Theory, Phase I employed a statewide survey of agencies to assess digital forensic resources, training, competency, and digital evidence usage. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis tests, chi-square tests of independence, Fisher’s exact tests, and Cramér’s V. Phase II consisted of semi-structured interviews with investigators, which were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to explain and expand upon the quantitative findings. Results identified significant disparities in digital forensic resources by agency size, widespread training deficiencies, and statistically significant relationships between crime categories and specialized forms of digital evidence. Qualitative findings revealed resource constraints, training gaps, organizational awareness, workflow inefficiencies, and systemic challenges. Integrated findings demonstrated that digital forensic capability gaps are fundamentally workforce development and organizational preparedness challenges rather than solely technological problems. This study contributes to the limited mixed-methods research on digital forensic capability in U.S. law enforcement and offers recommendations for policy, training, organizational planning, and future research.
