Enhancing the Scientific Validity of Methodological Support in Forensic Science: An Important International Trend

The purpose of the study is to reflect differences in approaches to determining the competence of experts and specialists in domestic forensic expertise and based on international standards for forensic examination. According to the international standard, ISO/IEC 17025:2017 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”, competence is determined by the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and/or skills and personal qualities. An attempt has been made to adapt this formulation to the realities of the Russian forensic activities. Also – based on a standard approach – consideration has been given to the issue of specialized knowledge in the field of trades and crafts, as well as opportunities to determine the level of expertise have been discussed considering two possible professional situations: individuals who have passed state certification procedures relating to their trades or crafts, and individuals working in their trades or crafts without having received such certification. International standards for forensic examination and comments thereto, foreign expert practice, publications on domestic forensic expertise and the procedural codes of the Russian Federation have served as materials for the research. The methods of the general theory of forensic examination have been used in the process of research, which are comparative analysis, abstraction and modeling and legal analysis. Regarding people with special knowledge the international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories” demonstrates the breadth and universality of an approach to their competent activity. What is important here is the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and/or skills, as shown by a specialist or expert at the time of competence assessment or verification within the framework of forensic laboratory accreditation. A situation when there is equality of knowledge and/or skills and personal qualities can be adapted (to some extent and without significant adjustments) to the Russian realities in forensic activities. For example, in areas of application of specialized knowledge such as skilled trades or crafts or in narrowly specialized or rare spheres of human activity. The various formulations of the term “competence” contain one unchanging feature – the obligatory verification of the level of knowledge and skills. The mechanisms that have been developed through practice to verify the competence of experts and specialists can be supplemented by the capabilities provided by standards. Assessing an expert’s competence taking into account the processes of standardization in forensic activities, currently pending updates to legislation on forensic activities in the Russian Federation and also foreign experience in the application of specialized knowledge in courts of the USA, will contribute to the formation of an integrated position of the Russian expert community and a better implementation of standardization into domestic science, as well as of the unification of rules for the forensic expert activity.

Section: приоритет продемонстрированной способности применять знания/unclassified

Addressing the Сompetence of Experts and Specialists in the Light of Provisions of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and International Experience in Applying Specialized Knowledge

Чеснокова

Дюваль²

2019

“…М.: Советская энциклопедия, 1969-1978. https://rus-bse.slovaronline.com/48048-Методология практики были корректными, эффективными и приводили к достоверному решению задач, сформулированных теорией» и востребованных правоприменением [1, с. 189], способствует повышению научной обоснованности методического обеспечения судебной экспертизы [7].…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Methodological Principles of Information Materials Research in Forensic Psychology

Секераж

2022

The article addresses the basic methodological principles of psychological analysis of information materials applied during the forensic psychological examination of a new direction established in the system of forensic institutions of the Ministry of Justice of Russia in 2017. The foundation of the direction is the general methodology of forensic psychological examination, deeply elaborated by F.S. Safuanov. At the same time, the features of objects (information materials and communications included in social activities and human behavior that are subject to legal assessment and can be recognized as criminal) and the subject of research (forensically and legally significant features of information materials) determine the number of particular methodological principles, methods, and procedures for their application. These distinguish the study of information materials from the study of the mental activity of investigated persons (accused, victims, witnesses) during the legally significant period.The author notes a connection of psychological research of information materials with the general methodology of forensic psychological examination. At the same time, methodological features are determined due to the interdisciplinary connections of a new kind of forensic examination with other sciences and practical expert tasks. Next, the article describes the main methodological approaches of psychological research of information materials: system-structural, activity-based, phenomenological, and hermeneutic, as well as level, communicative, qualitative, and discursive analysis.

“…Смирнова и А.И. Усов, является одним из главных условий осуществления судебно-экспертной деятельности [1]. Отсутствие методологических, а также недостаточная проработанность теоретических, прикладных и методических основ производства железнодорожно-технических судебных экспертиз не только негативно влияют на развитие данного направления деятельности правоохранительных органов, но и заставляют следователей и суд часто ставить перед экспертами вопросы юридического характера (например, о соответствии действий членов локомотивной бригады требованиям конкретных нормативно-правовых актов).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

“…Не согласившись с выводами городского суда, адвокат подал апелляционную жалобу на приговор, согласно которому гражданин Б. признан виновным в совершении нарушения правил движения и эксплуатации железнодорожного транспорта. Было отмечено, что в заключении эксперта присутствуют вопросы правового характера, а сам эксперт вышел за пределы своей компетенции 1 .…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Subject, Objects and Types of Railway Forensics

Ильин

2020

Railway forensic examinations are one of the primary means to establish the circumstances in the detection and investigation of crimes connected to the safety of traffic and operation of railway transport or traffic accidents. This type of forensic expertise falls within the class of transport and technical forensic examinations together with aviation, auto-technical, and water-technical. The forensic and expert literature still has not developed any theoretical provisions concerning the subject of the railway forensics, its objects, tasks, as well as the methodology for conducting the study. The object of forensic expertise is an integral and defining feature of the generic and species identity of the expert study, a source of information about specific events. Based on the investigative and expert practice studied by the author, specialized literature, and the author’s formualtion of the subject of the examination under consideration the classification of objects of the railway forensic examinations is proposed, the types of this kind of forensic expertise are identified.