The Nature of Electronic Digital Forensics

The paper draws attention to the intensification of criminal use of electronic technology, on the one hand, and the digitalization of forensic activities to investigate crimes, on the other hand. It is stated that it is necessary to develop a unified concept of electronic digital criminalistics. The paper analyzes the views on the essence of this concept and similar concepts of other scientists. The ideas of allocating a new branch, section or subsection in criminology are subject to reasonable criticism.

Investigating the main opinions of scientists on the criteria for distinguishing private theories in criminology, the author concludes that the private theory of electronic digital criminology (detection, fixation, seizure, research and use of electronic information and information technology devices) fully meets the basic requirements for private forensic theories. Regarding the place of the considered private theories in the criminology we can see justified criticism of the private placement of this theory in the section "Forensic engineering", and the distinction between two individual theories that are, respectively, technical and tactical in nature. The author states that the conceptual issues of the private theory of electronic digital criminology (collection, research and use of electronic digital information and information technology devices) should be considered in the section "General theory of criminology".
The paper discusses in detail the place of this particular theory in the system of other private theories of criminology and its relationship with them, as well as its relationship with other sciences, primarily with cybernetics and computer science, information law, criminal procedure, the theory of evidence, the theory of operational investigative activities, forensic expertise, general, legal and cybernetic linguistics. 

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