Deleted computer files may still be available as electronic evidence because they can often be retrieved from the________ within the computer.

A) active files
B) back-up files
C) residual data
D) available data

Deleted files leave behind residual data on the computer's storage device, which can often be recovered using special software or forensic techniques. This is because when files are deleted, the data itself isn't immediately removed; instead, the space it occupies is marked as available for new data.