Psychological Aspects of Digital Transformation of Crime Investigation

Abstract

The paper examines the psychological aspects of the digital transformation of crime detection and investigation taking place during the formation of the digital economy. In the course of the study of the subjective psychological causes of digital inequality (digital failure), the psychotypes of citizens in relation to digitalization are differentiated and the main fears of citizens associated with the adoption of the digital world are identified. The author also examines the specifics of digital communication of participants in criminal proceedings. The paper pays particular attention to specific psychological and other factors affecting the investigator and reducing the effectiveness of the digital transformation of the investigation: cognitive overload, tunnel thinking, the need for a comprehensive legal and technical knowledge and competencies of the investigator, transformation of the investigator’s mentality and forensic thinking. The study emphasizes that the development of data-centric ideas related to obtaining information about the object of study from digital sources will contribute to the creation of a digital psychological profile and the identification of communication patterns. However, these same perspectives pose ethical and psychological dilemmas for the investigator, due to the need to determine the balance between   the scope and limits of evidence on the one hand and the secrecy of the private life of the participant in the proceedings on the other hand. The paper also focuses on the effect of changing roles in digital transformation. In addition, certain psychological aspects of the production of investigative actions in remote mode as an element of digital transformation are considered. During the study, 200 people of different socio-age characteristics were interviewed.