Filming for human rights can be dangerous. It can put you, the people you are filming and the communities you are filming in at risk. Carefully assess the risks before you press “record.” INTRODUCTION In this section, we explore video’s role in the criminal justice process by outlining the stages of the process and describing various standards of proof. Criminal justice and accountability are about holding perpetrators responsible for the crimes they committed and ensuring that those who are innocent are not wrongfully convicted. Criminal justice refers to the process by which crimes are investigated, evidence gathered, arrests made, charges brought, defenses raised, trials conducted, sentences rendered, and punishment imposed. We will also review a case from the Democratic Republic of Congo to see how video was woven into an investigation and trial that eventually brought a warlord to justice. GOAL After reading this section, frontline documenters should have a sense of how NGOs, criminal investigators, analysts, and lawyers can successfully use the videos they capture in the field throughout the criminal justice process. 18 VIDEO AS EVIDENCE: STAGES & STANDARDS OF PROOF V 1.0 LAW STAGES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS & STANDARDS OF PROOF