I've read a few posts in this section and looked at a bit over the net...and there's alot of talk about the tools of the trade and how to use them, what to look for and how to access it...but not alot on the validity of the tools themselves...

so in my travels I came across these little tidbits...and the most interesting thing to me was the involvement of our RCMP with the U.S. Department of Justice...

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/cftt.htm
National Institute of Justice - Computer Forensic Tool Testing Project

http://www.cftt.nist.gov/
GENERAL INFORMATION