Doctrinal approaches to defining the concept of information support of forensic activities

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the modern doctrinal approaches to the definition of the concept and content of information support of forensic activities. The legal bases for information in support of forensic activities are determined. In doctrinal research, the following components of supporting forensic activity are distinguished: scientific and theoretical, regulatory, personnel, methodical, organizational and managerial, logistical support, informational, and financial. The implementation of an integrated approach to the problems of supporting forensic activities will determine its success and effectiveness. It is stated that information support is an essential part of quality forensic examination. In scientific research, information support has both broad and narrow meanings. When studying the information, which is required for forensic examinations, it is suggested to categorize it into primary and secondary. Primary information includes all information about the object of examination provided by the initiator of forensic commodity examination at the stage of its appointment. Secondary information is a collection of data necessary for the forensic examination in each particular case, which is determined by the forensic expert after studying primary information. The information support of forensic examination has components common to all types of expertise, including obtaining information from specific sources, accumulating and systematizing the acquired information, and utilizing the information for conducting expert studies. The special components of information support depend on the type of forensic examination and involve various sources of information, categories of information, peculiarities of its acquisition (from open or closed sources), storage (restricted access information, personal data), utilization, etc.