Aims and Objectives of the Publication
The aim of the collection is to highlight contemporary theoretical and applied issues in criminalistics and forensic examination, to present the results of the latest research on the application of specialized knowledge in judicial proceedings, and to promote the development of legal education and professional training, particularly for forensic experts.
The main objectives of the publication are:
- to publish original scholarly papers on issues in criminalistics, forensic examination, and related fields;
- to cover contemporary theoretical, methodological, and practical aspects of the application of specialized knowledge in judicial proceedings;
- to promote scholarly communication and professional exchange of experience among researchers, forensic experts, legal professionals, and representatives of related professions;
- to support the development of legal education, academic research, and professional training;
- to inform the academic community about current events, new publications, reviews, scholarly activities, and other forms of professional communication.
Upholding the principles of academic freedom and the democratization of knowledge, the Collection operates under the Diamond Open Access model, ensuring the barrier-free dissemination of research findings in forensic science and criminalistics.
History of the Journal
The history of the interdepartmental scientific and methodological collection Forensic Science and Criminalistics dates back to 1936, when a decision was made to allow institutes of forensic science to publish the results of their research activities.
As early as 1937, the first collection of scholarly works by staff members of the Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa Institutes of Forensic Science was published under the title Criminalistics and Forensic Science, with a print run of 1,500 copies. The editorial board of this publication included the Director of the Kyiv Institute, B. Vakhlis, as well as the directors of the Kharkiv (M. Bokarius) and Odesa (M. Makarenko) Institutes of Forensic Science.
The first collection featured scholarly works by Professors S. Matvieiev, O. Sudomyr, and V. Ozetskyi, as well as renowned criminalists B. Kyrychynskyi, K. Zavadynska, N. Ziuskin, S. Tykhenko, and other researchers. These publications laid the foundation for a tradition of professional scholarly discussion on issues in criminalistics and forensic examination.
In the late 1940s, under the editorship of D. Panasiuk, B. Vakhlis, B. Kyrychynskyi, and S. Tykhenko, three collections of works by staff members of the Kyiv Institute were published. In 1957, a scholarly collection entitled Forensic Science and Criminalistics was issued, containing papers presented at the joint scientific conference of the Kyiv and Kharkiv Institutes of Forensic Science.
In its modern format, the interdepartmental scientific and methodological collection Forensic Science and Criminalisticshas been published since 1964. Thus, the modern edition continues the scholarly tradition established in the 1930s and preserves the continuity of the development of national criminalistics and forensic expert activity.
In accordance with Article 8 of the Law of Ukraine On Forensic Examination, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine ensures the publication of the interdepartmental scientific and methodological collection Forensic Science and Criminalistics. This responsibility has been entrusted to the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, which serves as the publisher of the collection.
For decades, the publication has remained an important academic platform for addressing current issues in criminalistics, forensic examination, the application of specialized knowledge in judicial proceedings, and the development of expert support for justice. Its pages publish research findings, materials on the theory and practice of forensic expert activity, and works that contribute to the formation and development of academic schools in this field.
Today, Forensic Science and Criminalistics continues the traditions of a professional academic publication, combining historical continuity with modern requirements for academic communication, editorial policy, and the dissemination of scholarly knowledge.