What term describes the process of categorizing evidence based on its characteristics?

The term that describes the process of categorizing evidence based on its characteristics is classification. Classification involves organizing items into groups based on shared properties or traits, which helps forensic examiners to analyze and understand the nature of the evidence more effectively. By categorizing evidence, examiners can identify patterns and relationships between different pieces of information, making it easier to draw conclusions about a case.

In contrast, comparison refers to evaluating two or more items against each other to identify similarities or differences, while individualization focuses on determining the unique characteristics of a single piece of evidence. Reconstruction involves piecing together events from evidence to form a timeline or narrative of what occurred. Each of these processes serves its own purpose within the realm of digital forensics, but classification is specifically about sorting evidence based on its characteristics.