Technical and forensic support for investigations.

Technical and forensic support for investigation.

Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
State educational institution of higher professional education
«Tambov State Technical University»

Chernyshov V.N., Sysoev E.V., Seleznev A.V., Terekhov A.V.

Study manual for full-time and part-time students of the specialty 030501 «Jurisprudence»
Approved by the Academic Council of TSTU as a textbook
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of TSTU V.V. Nikulin
Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of TVVAIUR D.A. Dmitriev
Tambov TSTU Publishing House 2005
UDC 343.98 BBK 67.99(2)
T38
Reviewers:
Chernyshov V.N., Sysoev E.V., Seleznev A.V., Terekhov A.V.
T38   Forensic Science Support for Investigation: Textbook. Tambov: Publishing House of Tambov State Technical University, 2005. 80 p.

The manual provides the concept and classification of technical and forensic tools, describes the latest forensic equipment entering service with law enforcement agencies. It sets out the legal and scientific foundations of technical and forensic support.

The manual is intended for students of the legal specialty when studying the course «Technical and forensic support of investigation», it can be useful for postgraduate students, teachers of higher legal educational institutions, investigators and inquiry officers of law enforcement agencies.

INTRODUCTION

Forensic tools and methods play an important role in the fight against crime.

They allow detecting and removing invisible and barely visible traces, obtaining search and evidentiary information, facilitating the search for hiding places, providing a high degree of documentary recording of the situation in which the investigative action is carried out, and contribute to increasing the productivity of the investigator.

Recently, a number of fundamentally new technical means have appeared — devices for preliminary examination of material evidence during investigative actions.

Devices have appeared for work at the scene of explosions, fires, road accidents, for differential search of non-ferrous and ferrous metals, for detection of counterfeit money and foreign currency, for detection and removal of dust particles left by shoes on carpets, for removal of odor traces.

The range of devices based on the use of invisible rays (ultraviolet, infrared, X-ray) has been almost completely updated.

Stereo installations for photographing crime scenes and automated drawing of plans have begun to be produced. A lot of other equipment is also arriving at the scene.

However, the changes that have occurred in the technical and forensic equipment of law enforcement agencies are not adequately covered in the literature.

This manual provides the concept and classification of forensic equipment, the legal and scientific basis for their use.

It also provides information on the latest technology entering service with law enforcement agencies, and demonstrates the modern capabilities of forensic units in providing forensic support for crime investigations.

1 CONCEPT AND BASICS OF FORENSIC TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR INVESTIGATION

1.1 Concept, meaning and classification of forensic equipment

The Russian state, having assigned the task of combating crime to law enforcement agencies, also provided them with certain means for its implementation. These means are divided into three main groups: legal, operational-search, scientific-technical.

Operational-search means are of great importance in the fight against crime.

In the course of applying operational-search measures, information systems, video and audio recording, film and photography, as well as other technical and other means that do not cause harm to human life and health and do not harm the environment are used.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of technical and forensic means in the fight against crime. They are widely used during inspection of the scene of the incident, search, investigative experiment, other investigative actions, as well as during operational-search measures.

Their use significantly increases their effectiveness and therefore the task of law enforcement agencies is to ensure that all these means are used in a comprehensive manner. Only if this condition is met can serious success be achieved in solving crimes and exposing criminals.

This manual is devoted to only one group of the named means — technical and forensic. This choice is due to their ever-increasing importance in the fight against crime, the constant expansion of the arsenal, and the presence of serious shortcomings in the organization of their implementation and use.

When speaking about the importance of technical and forensic tools, it is necessary to first of all point out their enormous role in increasing the effectiveness of many investigative actions.

Only thanks to them it is possible to detect invisible and barely visible fingerprints, micro-objects, crime tools, jewelry hidden in hiding places, and other material evidence necessary to establish all the circumstances of the event under investigation and prove the guilt of the suspect. Technical and forensic means allow to record the situation in which the investigative action is being carried out more fully than a protocol.

When drawing up a protocol of inspection of the scene of the crime, examination, investigative experiment, presentation for identification, search, etc., the investigator may not always pay attention to individual circumstances that at first seem insignificant, but later, being recorded on photographic film, film or videotape, may prove to be significant in the analysis of the crime event.

The models of vehicles, humans and corpses available to investigators allow them to better understand the details of the event under investigation and obtain a more complete picture of the nature and method of committing the crime when investigating road accidents and interrogating victims, eyewitnesses, suspects and defendants.

The use of many technical and forensic tools has a very positive effect on the productivity of investigators.

The use of photography, sound and video recording, filming speeds up the recording of the situation in which the investigative action is being carried out, search equipment reduces the time it takes to find material evidence, special rulers facilitate the drawing up of plans and diagrams of the scene of the crime.

The importance of technical and forensic tools for obtaining search information is great. Using them directly at the scene of the incident, a preliminary examination of fingerprints, footwear, burglary tools, vehicles is carried out, and the data obtained in certain regions of the country allows for the detention of up to 70 — 80% of persons committing thefts, robberies, and armed robberies during a hot search.

It is impossible to overestimate the importance of technical and forensic tools used in laboratory research. Thanks to them, forensic experts resolve numerous issues that are sometimes of decisive importance for the event under investigation.

Technical and forensic tools are widely used in crime prevention. They help identify conditions that facilitate the commission of crimes and develop specific proposals to eliminate them.

Technical and forensic tools are also widely used in the implementation of operational and investigative activities. Forensic records, devices for compiling composite portraits of wanted persons, and other forensic equipment facilitate and speed up the detection of crimes and stolen goods.
Of course, the above only gives some idea of ​​the significance of technical and forensic tools. It is not possible to cover this issue in more detail in this paper, since it would be necessary to touch upon the entire diversity of these tools.

Now let us dwell on the concept and classification of technical and forensic tools. Many authors approach this problem differently [1 — 7]. Let us consider the concept and classification of technical and forensic tools proposed by Professor P.T. Skorchenko [8]. In his work, P.T. Skorchenko combined the opinions of many authors.

Currently, there is a constant expansion of the classification groups of technical and forensic tools. This is partly dictated by the creation of new such tools, but most often — by the unjustified classification of other types of equipment at the disposal of law enforcement agencies as forensic tools.

Therefore, before talking about the classification of technical and forensic tools, we should distinguish them from other types of equipment.

This can be done based on the following criteria:

• the intended purpose of the technical means;
• the subject of use, i.e. what category of persons this means is intended for use by.

The intended purpose of technical and forensic means is to ensure maximum efficiency of investigative actions provided for by criminal procedural legislation, forensic examinations of material evidence, identification of conditions that facilitate the commission of crimes and development of recommendations for their elimination.

It is achieved through the use of various devices, equipment, tools, materials, special reference books and technical methods (methods, methods, techniques) for the detection, recording, removal of traces and other material evidence that are important for the case.
The subjects of application of technical and forensic means are: investigator, prosecutor, court, inquiry staff, forensic experts.

The investigator, prosecutor, court, inquiry staff may apply the specified equipment either independently or with the help of a forensic expert involved in the investigative action.

Taking into account these features, technical and forensic means can be divided into three groups by origin:

1. tools borrowed from general technology and used in forensic science without any changes. These are many measuring devices (rulers, tape measures, calipers, micrometers, magnifying glasses, electric flashlights, cameras, sound recording, filming, video recording equipment, etc.);
2. tools borrowed from other areas of science and technology and adapted for forensic purposes (a profilometer redesigned for the study of traces, magnifying glasses with special grids applied to them for the study of papillary patterns, etc.);
3. means specially developed for forensic purposes. There are many of them, for example, mobile forensic laboratories, special comparative forensic microscopes (MSK-1) and many others.

Such classification of technical and forensic means has mainly organizational significance. It only gives an idea of ​​the sources of replenishment of forensic equipment, the directions in which work is carried out to expand its range.

As for the classification of forensic equipment by purpose, it has not only theoretical but also great practical significance, since it allows the investigator, inquiry officer, or any other law enforcement officer to obtain a fairly clear idea of ​​the forensic equipment available and its capabilities.

Without this, it is impossible to have any serious discussion about their widespread use in investigations.

So, according to their intended purpose, forensic equipment can be classified as follows:

1. Recording equipment.These are photographic equipment, filming equipment, film projectors, tape recorders, video equipment used to record the situation at the scene of an investigative action (scene of a crime, search, investigative experiment, examination, verification and clarification of testimony on the spot, etc.), as well as various traces and objects that are important for the case.
2. Means for detecting invisible and barely visible traces and other objects.These include magnifying glasses, including special forensic ones with illumination, various powders, both conventional (aluminum, graphite, soot, zinc oxide, etc.) and magnetic (iron reduced by hydrogen, ruby, sapphire, agate), sets of tools for detecting fingerprints with iodine vapor, ninhydrin and silver nitrate reagents. This group also includes devices and instruments for detecting and removing micro-objects (microvacuum cleaners, microtweezers, sticky films, etc.). We would also include here the means for the extraction of odor traces (odorological suitcases).
3. Search means for the detection of various objects that may be of value as material evidence (mine detectors such as IMP and UMIF, «Gamma», «Iris», magnetic lift, trawls, probes, ultraviolet illuminators, electron-optical converters, etc.).
4. Means of fixing (copying) and extraction of traces (hands, feet, teeth, burglary tools, vehicles).The most common of these means are: plaster (for making casts of shoe prints, car treads and other large objects), silicone pastes for fixing small traces (burglary tools, small sections of shoe prints), plasticine (for making casts of burglary marks), aerosol varnishes for fixing traces on loose surfaces, such as sand.
5. Means for obtaining fingerprints from living persons and corpses: printing ink, fingerprint pad, board, rubber rollers and special plates for rolling out the ink, fingerprint films, fingerprint cards.
6. Means for making composite portraits.This is the IKR-2 device and the computer system for making composite portraits «Frame», which is now being widely introduced into practice.
7. Marker means.These means in practice, and in literature, are often called chemical traps, since they leave traces of their impact on the criminal that are difficult to remove and clearly visible. Forensic markers include various dyes, mechanical and pyrotechnic devices for spraying them, as well as ointments installed on objects with material assets that are subject to the most frequent criminal attacks. They are installed in advance, as they say: «Just in case.»
8. Universal means:unified suitcases and mobile forensic laboratories intended for use in examining the scene of a crime and in carrying out other investigative actions.
9. Means for systematizing and issuing forensic information.These are various card files and collections (fingerprints, footwear, vehicles, burglaries, counterfeit money and documents, and a number of others), as well as electronic computers used to maintain them, if their use is justified.
10. Means for laboratory examination of material evidence.They are very diverse. These include, for example, comparative forensic microscopes, macro-reproduction units (MRK), universal laboratory reproduction units (ULARUS), the «Speed» unit for shooting firearms, «Trasograph» devices — for obtaining experimental traces of burglary tools, «PON» optical superposition devices — for examining banknotes, seal and stamp impressions, «Regula» devices — for examining money and documents.

The above are just a few of the technical and forensic tools. Law enforcement agencies have many more of them at their disposal, and they will be discussed in the following sections.

From the above, it is clear that our law enforcement agencies have a fairly large arsenal of technical and forensic tools.

If we also take into account the size of our country, the number of investigative bodies, operational units and forensic departments, it is not difficult to imagine that the state spends many millions of rubles on their technical equipment. Of course, these costs must justify themselves. Forensic technology must effectively influence the state of the fight against crime.

At the same time, as practice shows, in matters of providing law enforcement agencies with technical and forensic tools, their implementation in practical activities, and analysis of their use, they lag significantly behind the requirements. Therefore, work on technical and forensic support for crime investigations should be significantly improved. This manual is dedicated to these goals.

Technical and forensic support for investigations is understood as a system of legal, scientific, organizational measures for the development, implementation, and practical use of technical and forensic tools and scientific methods for the purpose of successful detection, investigation, and prevention of crimes [8].

Thus, technical and forensic support combines:

• legal support;
• scientific support;
• organizational support.

Within the framework of this manual, we will consider only legal and scientific support. The organizational foundations of technical and forensic support of the investigation, in comparison with the first two elements, are not so important for lawyers.

1.2 Legal foundations of technical and forensic support of the investigation

Legal support as an element of technical and forensic support for an investigation should be understood as the legal regulation of the most important issues of using forensic technology in investigative activities.

Here, four groups of questions can be distinguished:

1) on the subjects of using technical and forensic means;

2) the admissibility of using certain types of technology in criminal proceedings;

3) the procedure for using technical and forensic means;

4) procedural registration of the fact of using the equipment.

Without legal regulation of these issues, no other work on technical and forensic support of the investigation is conceivable. Therefore, legal support occupies a leading position in relation to other elements of technical and forensic support of the investigation.

Let's consider these issues.

1) Issues about the subjects of application of technical and forensic meansis not resolved by the legislator in a sufficiently comprehensive manner, since to resolve this issue it is necessary to refer not to one source, but to various regulatory legal acts due to the fact that there is no specific article regulating this provision.

Article 84 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the RSFSR of 1960 stated that “material evidence must be described in detail in the inspection report, photographed if possible, and attached to the case by a special resolution of the person conducting the inquiry, the investigator, the prosecutor, or a court ruling.”

The current Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation of 2001 contains articles that would provide an exhaustive list of subjects of application of technical and forensic means. Thus, analyzing the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation and the Law of the Russian Federation «On Operational-Investigative Activity» of July 5, 1995 with amendments of 2003, we can conclude that the subjects of application of technical and forensic means are:

a) Bodies implementing operational-investigative activity.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, the right to carry out operational investigative activities is granted to operational units:

1) internal affairs agencies of the Russian Federation;
2) agencies of the federal security service;
3) federal state security agencies;
4) customs agencies of the Russian Federation;
5) the foreign intelligence service of the Russian Federation;
6) the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation;
7) agencies for control over the circulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Operational units of the foreign intelligence agencies of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation conduct operational-search activities only for the purpose of ensuring the security of the said foreign intelligence agency and in the event that the conduct of these activities does not affect the powers of the agencies specified in paragraphs 1, 2, 4, 6 — 9 of Part One of Article 13 of the Law of the Russian Federation «On Operational-search Activities».

The list of bodies carrying out operational-search activities may be changed or supplemented only by federal law. The heads of the said bodies shall determine the list of operational units authorized to carry out operational-search activities, their powers, structure and organization of work.

b) Investigator of the prosecutor's office, internal affairs bodies.
c) Prosecutor.
d) Court.
d) Expert.

1 Expert — a person with special knowledge and appointed in the manner established by the Code of Criminal Procedure (Article 57) to conduct a forensic examination and provide an opinion.
2 The summoning of an expert, the appointment and conduct of a forensic examination are carried out in the manner established by Articles 195 — 207, 269, 282 and 283 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation.

Thus, the investigator resorts to the services of an expert in cases where it is necessary to establish:

1. the causes of death;
2. the nature and extent of harm caused to health;
3. the mental or physical state of the suspect, accused, when doubts arise about his sanity or ability to independently defend his rights and legitimate interests in criminal proceedings;
4. the mental or physical state of the victim, when doubts arise about his ability to correctly perceive the circumstances that are significant for the criminal case and to give testimony;
5. the age of the suspect, accused, victim, when this is significant for the criminal case, and documents confirming his age are missing or raise doubts.

e) Specialist — a person with special knowledge, involved in procedural actions in the manner established by the Code of Criminal Procedure (Article 58), to assist in the discovery, securing and seizure of objects and documents, the use of technical means in the examination of criminal case materials, to ask questions to the expert, and also to explain to the parties and the court issues within his professional competence.

The call of a specialist and the procedure for his participation in criminal proceedings are determined by Articles 168 and 270 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In accordance with Article 184, a specialist is called in the event of a personal search, examination of a corpse (Article 178), examination (Article 179) and in other cases.

It is true that the said articles refer to specialists in general, but as practice shows, in the overwhelming majority of cases the investigator seeks help from forensic specialists, who have at their disposal more complex forensic equipment than the investigator and experience working with it.

Therefore, a forensic specialist and an expert are among the subjects of application of technical and forensic means.

2) The Criminal Procedure Law also resolves the issue of admissibility of using certain types of equipment in investigations.

Considering this issue, first of all, we are faced with the fact that this issue is regulated by various regulatory legal acts and the absence of an exhaustive list of types of equipment.

Despite this, for example, the criminal procedure legislation contains a number of rules defining the general grounds for the use of technical means for the purpose of solving and investigating crimes.

Thus, a number of articles of the Criminal Procedure Code contain a direct indication of what equipment can be used in the conduct of an investigative action:

a) photographic equipment — Art. 82 (Storage of material evidence), Art. 166 (Protocol of investigative action), Art. 178 (Examination of corpse. Exhumation), Art. 179 (Examination), Art. 183 (Grounds and procedure for conducting a seizure), Art. 189 (General rules for conducting interrogation), Art. 190 (Protocol of interrogation) of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation;

b) filming and video recording — Art. 82 (Storage of material evidence), 166 (Protocol of investigative action), Art. 179 (Examination), Art. 183 (Grounds and procedure for conducting a seizure), Art. 189 (General rules for conducting interrogation), Art. 190 (Protocol of interrogation), Art. 192 (confrontation) of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation;

c) sound recording — Art. 166 (Protocol of the investigative action), Art. 186 (Monitoring and recording of conversations), Art. 189 (General rules for conducting interrogation), Art. 190 (Protocol of interrogation), Art. 192 (Confrontation) of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation;

d) impression materials and other materials for obtaining impressions and casts of traces — Art. 166 (Protocol of the investigative action) of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation;

d) measuring equipment — Art. 182 (Grounds and procedure for conducting a search) of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation, etc.

The use of one or another type of forensic equipment is enshrined not only in the Criminal Procedure Code, but also in other regulatory acts. Thus, the law «On the Police» in Article 11 allows registration, photographing, filming and video shooting, fingerprinting and other actions in relation to persons taken into custody, detained, accused of committing a crime, subjected to administrative arrest, etc. Article 14 of the Law of the Russian Federation «On the Police» speaks about the possibility of using «special coloring agents» (markers).

The use of forensic technology is also regulated by some by-laws. Thus, the maintenance of forensic records, the use of various methods, and devices for examining material evidence are determined by departmental instructions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor's Office.

However, a number of technical and forensic tools widely used in investigations are not mentioned in the law. These are search devices, video recorders, sources of ultraviolet and infrared radiation, and many others. This has been pointed out by many authors who rightly believe that there is no need to specify the entire list of technical and forensic tools in the law [2, 10, 11].

3) The Criminal Procedure Law defines the principles of using technical and forensic tools.

An analysis of the legal norms determining the use of certain forensic tools in the investigation process allows us to draw the following conclusions:

a) The investigator is independent in making decisions on the use of this or that technical and forensic means. This is indicated in particular by Article 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation — during investigative actions, technical means and methods of detecting, recording and seizing traces of a crime and material evidence may be used, i.e. the final decision on the use of these or that technical and forensic means remains with the investigator.

Article 166 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation, which regulates the procedure for drawing up a protocol of an investigative action, states that stenography, photography, filming, audio and video recording may be used during an investigative action. A similar provision is contained in Article 189 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which sets out the general rules for conducting an interrogation. In particular, it states that, at the initiative of the investigator, photography, audio and (or) video recording or filming may be carried out during an interrogation.

There are several exceptions to the general rules, for example: Article 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation states that if objects cannot be stored during a criminal case due to their bulkiness or other reasons (for example, objects subject to natural changes; objects removed from the scene of an incident due to special circumstances (removal of cars from the roadway during an accident, removal of explosive objects, etc.); perishable items and essential items), they must be photographed or filmed on video or film; Article 178 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation — unidentified corpses are subject to mandatory fingerprinting, etc.

Failure to comply with these rules shall be considered a violation of the law.

b) The use of technical and forensic means is permitted both by the investigator himself and by a specialist on his instructions.

The investigator's right to independently use technical means is enshrined in Art. 164 (General Rules for Conducting Investigative Actions), Art. 178 (Examination of a Corpse. Exhumation), Art. 179 (Examination), Art. 182 (Grounds and Procedure for Conducting a Search), Art. 189 (General Rules for Conducting Interrogation), Art. 192 (Confrontation) of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation.

The participation of a specialist is provided for in Art. 168 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which states that the investigator has the right to involve a specialist in the investigative action in accordance with the requirements of Part Five of Art. 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, i.e. the investigator, involving participants in criminal proceedings specified in Chapters 6 — 8 of the Criminal Procedure Code in investigative actions, verifies their identity, explains to them their rights, responsibilities, and the procedure for conducting the relevant investigative action.

If a victim, witness, specialist, expert or translator participates in the investigative action, he/she is also warned of the liability provided for in Articles 307 and 308 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Before the start of an investigative action in which a specialist participates, the investigator verifies his/her competence, clarifies his/her attitude towards the suspect, accused and victim, explains to the specialist his/her rights and liability provided for in Article 58 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation.

c) Preliminary notification by the investigator to all participants in the investigative action about the use of technical and forensic means.

Clause 5 of Article 166 (Protocol of the investigative action) states: “The protocol must also indicate the technical means used in the conduct of the investigative action, the conditions and procedure for their use, the objects to which these means were used, and the results obtained.

The protocol must indicate that the persons participating in the investigative action were warned in advance about the use of technical means during the investigative action»; Art. 190 (Interrogation protocol); Art. 192 (Confrontation) of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation.

The legislator's emphasis on the need for advance notification of the participants in the investigative action about the upcoming use of forensic technology during its conduct is aimed at ensuring procedural guarantees for the victim, witness, suspect and accused, since they can make various requests in connection with the use of certain technical means.

For example, the victim may ask to photograph some traces of the crime (furniture broken by the criminal, a broken wall, the remains of burnt things), or to use search equipment to detect items hidden or thrown away by the criminal (a magnetic lift to extract metal objects from a well).

A suspect or accused may request that the situation in their home be photographed after a search has been conducted, during which some destruction of walls, floors, or storage facilities was carried out.

They may also ask the investigator to photograph any bodily injuries they may have suffered during a mutual fight with the victim or during detention.

Other participants in the investigative action may also express various requests and wishes in connection with the use of technology: witnesses, legal representatives, employees of the internal affairs agencies, etc.

In general, this principle is aimed at more effective use of technical and forensic tools, completeness and comprehensiveness of the investigation.

4) Mandatory procedural confirmation of the fact of use of technical and forensic tools and the results obtained from their use.

This principle is enshrined in Article 166 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation. It states that:

a) each fact of the use of technical and forensic means in the conduct of an investigative action must be reflected in the protocol (clause 5 of Article 166: the protocol must also indicate the technical means used in the conduct of the investigative action, the conditions and procedure for their use, the objects to which these means were used, and the results obtained);

b) it must contain an indication that all participants in the investigative action were notified of this on the eve of the use of technical and forensic means (clause 5, Article 166 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation: The protocol must indicate that the persons participating in the investigative action were notified in advance of the use of technical means during the investigative action);

c) the protocol must indicate which technical means were used, the procedure and conditions for their use;

d) it must record the results obtained from the use of technical and forensic means;

d) the results of the use of technical and forensic means: negatives and photographs, films, slides, interrogation sound recordings, plans, diagrams, casts and impressions of traces are subject to attachment to the protocol (clause 8, Article 166 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation: Photographic negatives and photographs, films, slides, interrogation sound recordings, video cassettes, computer information carriers, drawings, plans, diagrams, casts and impressions of traces made during the investigative action are attached to the protocol).

In addition, Article 190 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation sets forth additional requirements for the interrogation protocol: «If photography, audio and (or) video recording, or filming were carried out during the interrogation, the protocol must also contain:

1) a record of the photography, audio and (or) video recording, or filming;
2) information about the technical means, the conditions for photography, audio and (or) video recording, or filming, and the fact of the suspension of audio and (or) video recording, or filming, the reason for and duration of the suspension of their recording;
3) statements by the person being interrogated regarding the photography, audio and (or) video recording, or filming;
4) signatures of the person being interrogated and the investigator, certifying the correctness of the protocol. During the interrogation, the person being interrogated may make diagrams, drawings, sketches, charts, which are attached to the protocol, about which a corresponding entry is made in it).

All these requirements are aimed at observing the law in the use of forensic technology, guaranteeing the rights and legitimate interests of persons participating in the investigative action. If at least one of these requirements is not met, the results obtained with the use of these means in the case may lose their procedural significance.

Speaking about the requirement of the law regarding the inclusion in the protocol of the investigative action of photographic negatives, slides, films obtained as a result of the use of forensic technology, it should be noted that for technical reasons it is difficult to implement.

The fact is that at present investigators and forensic experts do not have the technical capabilities to make photographs, slides, and films directly at the scene of the investigative action.

They are made in laboratory conditions and are ready only a few days after the investigative action, while films are ready in much longer periods. Therefore, at present practice has gone in this matter along the following path.

In the protocol of the investigative action, as required by law, a list of objects photographed or filmed, shooting conditions, the number of exposed frames or films (or their footage) are indicated. In the future, when making photo tables on the title page (or in the credits of the film), as an appendix to the protocol, it is indicated what investigative action it is.

The photo table is signed by the forensic specialist who participated in the investigative action and made the photo table, or by the investigator if it was made by him personally. Negatives are attached to the photo table.

There have been no misunderstandings in connection with this procedure for attaching photographs, negatives and films to the protocols when considering criminal cases in court.

1.3 Scientific foundations of technical and forensic support of the investigation

Scientific support of the investigation by technical and forensic means is closely connected with legal support.

Professor R.S. Belkin emphasizes in this regard: “It is well known that recommendations developed by forensic science for the practice of combating crime must, first of all, comply with the requirements of legality and the principles of legal proceedings.

Legality and admissibility of application are the main criteria from which any new technical and forensic means, tactical techniques, and methodological recommendations developed by forensic science are assessed” [2].

The science of forensic science solves a large complex of issues related to technical and forensic support for investigations.

Let us dwell briefly on these issues.

1) Scientific interpretation of legislation and by-laws on technical and forensic support for investigation and development of proposals for its improvement.

As noted above, the criminal procedure legislation contains a number of articles on the use of technical and forensic means in investigation.

Often they only briefly mention certain technical means that can be used in an investigation, or indicate the procedure for procedural registration of the results obtained using them.

For practitioners, this is not enough and they have many questions about the use of technology that are not reflected in the law. All this necessitates a scientific interpretation of the law.

Taking into account the interests of practice, at present, scientific interpretation of legislation on the problem under consideration is carried out in the following areas:
— on the admissibility of using certain new technical means in investigations (video recorders, computers, etc.);
— on the subjects of using the technology, in particular, the possibility of involving specialists in the use of technical and forensic means;
— on the procedure for using technical and forensic means in the conduct of investigative actions;
— on the procedural registration of the use of forensic equipment (photography, video recording equipment, sound recording, etc.).

2) Scientific development of draft by-laws regulating forensic support for investigation.

Many issues of forensic support for investigation, as noted above, are regulated by departmental acts. The heads of departments often entrust the preparation of drafts of such documents to research institutions of the given department.

The participation of scientists in this work ensures the high quality of by-laws, their strict compliance with current legislation, which ultimately has a positive effect on the level of technical equipment of investigative bodies, inquiry agencies, expert institutions, and the level of use of the equipment at their disposal.

3) Scientific generalization of the practice of using technical and forensic tools and development of proposals for its improvement.

Law enforcement agencies have a large number of various forensic equipment at their disposal. Knowledge of the effectiveness of its use has important theoretical and practical significance.

Therefore, many forensic scientists, when working on dissertations, textbooks, and scientific articles, carefully study the practice of using technical and forensic tools, identify its positive and negative aspects, and develop proposals for its improvement.

Based on the results of studying the practice, scientists make various proposals to eliminate various shortcomings in the use of technical and forensic tools, to develop and adopt new devices, scientific methods and techniques, and others.

4) Development of new technical and forensic tools.

The most serious work on the development of technical and forensic tools is carried out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, which includes the Scientific Research Institute of Special Equipment, which is engaged in the development of the said tools.

This institute has developed many technical and forensic tools that are currently in service with law enforcement agencies: mobile forensic laboratories, standardized suitcases for examining crime scenes, various powders for detecting invisible fingerprints, search devices, numerous specialized devices for laboratory testing of material evidence, and a number of others.

Individual devices are being developed in forensic institutions of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and forensic departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Department of Internal Affairs. Forensic science departments of higher education institutions are also developing technical and forensic tools.

5) Scientific testing of devices and materials produced by industrial enterprises of various departments and cooperatives in order to determine the possibility of using them for forensic purposes.

In the investigation of crimes, technical means are widely used, both those specially developed for use in investigative actions and examinations, and other means produced for use in industry, scientific research, and everyday life. These are cameras, photographic materials, movie cameras, tape recorders, microscopes and other research devices, impression materials, lighting equipment, and much more.

The devices and materials of interest are carefully studied, if necessary, their samples are purchased and tested in forensic laboratories. If the results are positive, scientists make proposals to provide such devices or materials to investigative bodies, inquiry agencies and forensic departments.

Experienced forensic experts are involved in testing new technical means produced by industry for research and other purposes, along with scientists.

6) Scientific development of techniques, methods and techniques for detection, recording, seizure and examination of material evidence.

Scientific techniques, methods and methods play the same important role in investigative actions and expert examinations as technical means. Without them, technology cannot be used effectively. Therefore, in the system of technical and forensic support for investigation, serious attention is paid to the development and implementation of scientific methods and methods. Their development is essentially carried out by all research institutions of law enforcement agencies, forensic departments of law schools, and forensic specialists of practical units.

All forensic methods and techniques can be divided into two classes (groups). One of them should include methods and techniques that do not require special approval by the competent authority. These are mainly methods and techniques related to the use of technical and forensic tools in the conduct of investigative actions. The second class should consist of methods and techniques that must undergo thorough testing by specialists and be approved by the authorized body before being adopted. In essence, we are talking about expert methods here.

7) Participation of scientists in technical and forensic training of personnel.

One of the tasks of technical and forensic support of investigation is the proper technical training of law enforcement officers: investigators, inquiry officers, specialists of forensic units. An important role in solving this problem is given to the faculty of forensic science departments of law schools, scientists of research institutions of law enforcement agencies. They solve many important issues of technical training.

8) Study and dissemination of foreign experience in the use of technical and forensic tools in investigation.

In foreign countries, many forensic methods and technical means have been developed based on modern achievements of natural and technical sciences, which are successfully used in the fight against crime. Many of them are of interest to our practice.

Therefore, scientists closely monitor forensic innovations appearing abroad, publish them and publish information about them for familiarization of practitioners, and also use them in their scientific research.

2 TECHNICAL AND FORENSIC MEANS FOR INVESTIGATIVE ACTIONS

The effectiveness of investigative actions depends on many factors: the professional abilities of the investigator, weather conditions, etc.

The effectiveness of investigative actions is significantly affected by the use of technical and forensic tools during their implementation.

Currently, many different tools have been developed for use in investigative actions. Let's consider these tools.

2.1 Search tools

Material objects — carriers of evidentiary information — are very diverse and their search is often associated with significant difficulties.

This is due to the fact that some of these objects are such in size and properties that it is simply impossible to detect them with the naked eye.

For example, invisible and barely visible fingerprints, individual fibers of clothing, plant pollen, tiny particles of peeling paint, blood splashes and many other micro-objects.

Often, criminals take special measures to conceal objects that contain forensic information: they bury them in the ground, throw them into thick grass, bushes or a body of water, or hide them in specially equipped hiding places.

Various technical means have been developed and used to search for such objects.

Means of searching for invisible, barely visible and microscopic objects.

Here we are talking, first of all, about fingerprints, clothing fibers, dust, hair and other microparticles. Thus, fingerprints left on paper, glass, metal, wood, plastic products can be barely noticeable or completely invisible.

A number of technical methods and means have been developed to detect them. For example, good results are obtained by examining objects with such traces in oblique rays (the object is examined using a pocket flashlight or turned to the light source at different angles).

To search for sweat and grease traces, a special forensic magnifying glass with illumination and various powders developed for these purposes are widely used: aluminum, graphite, soot, zinc oxide, etc. (designed for dusting with a sable brush), «Sapphire», «Rubin», «Agat», hydrogen-reduced iron and new powders PMD-Ch, PMD-B (dusting is performed with a magnetic brush).

Recently, luminescent powder PMDL-S (Fig. 1) has begun to be used to detect sweat and grease traces on colored materials (paper money, bonds and other securities).

When using it, a kolinsky brush and an ultraviolet illuminator are used.

A portable fingerprint tablet called «Krug» is produced to detect fingerprints.

It is provided to both operatives and investigators.

The product includes six jars for fingerprint powders, a wide-grip magnetic brush, a squirrel hair brush, a folding magnifying glass, a fingerprint roller, a glass plate for rolling out printing ink, scissors, tweezers, a scalpel, light and dark fingerprint films, and a glass-graph pencil (Fig. 2).

Iodine vapors are a good means of detecting fingerprints. Law enforcement agencies are provided with a special set of devices called «Kit» for their use, and starch paper has been developed to fix the traces detected with iodine vapors (they quickly discolor).

Fig. 1 Magnetic fingerprint powders
PMD-Ch, PMD-B, PMDL-S

Fig. 2 Portable fingerprint tablet «Krug»

To search for micro-objects, a magnifying glass with high magnification of the «Regula» type (Fig. 3), an ultraviolet illuminator of the «Tair-1» type with autonomous power supply, an ultraviolet illuminator «Kvadrat» operating both from the mains and from the battery are used.

Ultraviolet search devices can detect blood spatter, sperm stains, fibers, and organic substances.

Search for traces of a gunshot (soot, unburned powder particles, metal particles), iron filings in places where a barrier was broken and on the suspect's clothing, as well as other objects that absorb infrared rays, is performed using S-70 devices and an electron-optical magnifying glass.

Means of searching for metal objects.

They are designed to detect cold and firearms, bullets, cartridges and cartridges, burglary tools, metal money, jewelry made of precious metals, and other metal objects.

The most widely used is the magnetic finder-lifter — a horseshoe-shaped magnet weighing 1.4 kg with a device for attaching a nylon cord 25 m long or a metal rod, this device allows you to find and extract from liquid, semi-liquid and bulk media (reservoirs, cesspools, snow, sand, etc.) objects made of ferrous metals weighing up to 35 kg.

To search for the specified objects hidden in the structures of buildings and structures, as well as in open areas, law enforcement agencies are provided with electronic metal detectors of the IMP and Iris types. The IMP mine detector began to enter service in the 1960s. Now it is being replaced by the Iris-E device, which is more sensitive and convenient to use. It can be used to inspect people and cargo (Fig. 4).

A variation of this device is the Iris-P device.

It is designed to detect metal objects made of magnetic and non-magnetic (non-ferrous) metals underwater in fresh and salt water at any water transparency at depths of up to 40 m, in currents and in stagnant water, as well as on land and at the air-water interface at temperatures from minus 5 °C to plus 35 °C.

The device provides the diver (operator) with optical and acoustic formalized information about its performance, the presence of a search object, and the discharge of the power source. Preparation for operation is carried out automatically after switching on the power supply. The weight of the device is 7.3 kg, the power source is an 18 V battery.

In connection with the increasing incidence of explosions, a set for detecting and removing fragments «Cross» has been developed and is being produced.

It includes: a lift for searching for fragments in wells, crevices, bodies of water up to 10 m deep, a probe for searching for fragments in a narrow labyrinth space, a rake for working in grass, puddles, mud, etc., a magnetic brush for examining soil, debris, snow, etc. (Fig. 5).

Fig. 3 Measuring magnifying glass «Regula» with tenfold magnification and backlight

Fig. 4 Metal detector «Iris-E»

Fig. 5. Kit for detection and removal of fragments «Cross»

Fig. 6. Selective metal detector «Kedr»

For separate detection of objects made of ferrous and non-ferrous metals in dielectric covering environments, the selective metal detector «Kedr» is produced (Fig. 6).

The device has modes of operation by type of metal and by known object. For detection of placer gold, mined by amalgamation, in luggage, hand luggage and postal items, the device «Kinovary» is produced, reacting to traces of mercury (Fig. 7).

Means of searching for non-metallic objects.

In practice, there are cases when it is necessary to find hidden containers: polyethylene canisters, tanks, boxes with various objects hidden in vehicles or people's premises, various hiding places, etc.

Various search tools are produced to facilitate their detection. The most commonly used are various metal probes used to examine upholstered furniture, containers with bulk, viscous substances, trawls for examining water bodies in order to search for corpses and various discarded items.

Fig. 7 «Kinovary» device

The device «Jasmine» (Fig. 8) is produced to search for hiding places (voids), arranged in soils, brick and concrete building structures both indoors and in the field. It allows you to detect not only voids where both metal and non-metal objects can be hidden, but also to determine the distance to them. The weight of the portable part of the device is no more than 8.5 kg.

Recently, a device for transferring dust particles «Cone» (Fig. 9) has begun to be produced.

It allows to detect and remove traces on carpets and other dielectric materials, formed by layering or removal of substances.

The maximum dimensions of the recorded dusty surface traces are 20 x 35 cm, the weight of the device is 3.8 kg, it is powered by an alternating current network with a voltage of 220 V or by two pieces of 373 elements.

For searching for people hiding in premises, or goods transported by vehicles, the device «Lavender» is produced (Fig. 10). To inspect a vehicle (its weight can be up to 15 tons), it must be placed in a room protected from the wind, since the device reacts to the heartbeat, then the wind can create interference.

The device weighs 2 kg, the device operates from dry elements 9 V or AC network 36 V. To detect violators digging in order to leave the protected area, the device «Chicory» is produced, which records vibrations of the soil during digging.

2.2 Fixation and seizure means

In the investigation of crimes, along with search means, means of fixation and seizure of objects-carriers of evidentiary information are also widely used.

Adhesive films.

Of the adhesive films, fingerprint films are the most widely used. They are available in two colors: transparent and dark.

Dark film is used to fix and remove sweat and grease traces revealed by light fingerprint powders (aluminum, zinc oxide, «Sapphire», etc.), light — to fix and remove traces revealed by dark powders (graphite, soot, copper oxide, etc.) fingerprint film is also used to remove clothing fibers, dust, plant pollen and other micro-objects from various objects.

It is also used to remove dust traces from shoes and vehicles found on leatherette, linoleum, plywood, boards, sheet iron, smooth asphalt.

For these purposes, fingerprint film is produced in large sizes (14 x 30 cm).

Recently, the «Adhesive Film Material» (AFM) has been produced, designed to record and remove fingerprints detected by fingerprint powders.

The material is almost transparent (Fig. 11).

Fig. 8 «Jasmine» device

Fig. 9. The «Cone» dust particle transfer device

Fig. 10. The «Lavender» device

A trace-copying composition in an aerosol package called «Copy» is also available for removing fingerprints at the crime scene.

When the polymer solution dries, it forms an easily removable trace-copying film on which fingerprints revealed by powders remain (Fig. 12).

Impression materials.

These include plaster, silicone paste «K», plasticine, as well as impression materials used in dental practice.

Plaster is used to make casts of three-dimensional footprints of shoes, vehicles, and animal hooves. Using paste «K», casts are made of traces of burglary tools. If traces of shoes or vehicles remain on loose surfaces, they are fixed with «Prelest» varnish in an aerosol can before making casts.

To replace paste «K», the «Kit for Removing Copies of Traces (KOS-1)» is now being produced. The kit includes two types of impression masses: liquid and viscous, providing copying of traces from various materials.

The kit also includes a container for dosing and mixing the compositions and a spatula. The resulting copies of the traces do not shrink, are durable, elastic, and accurately convey the external structure of the trace. The operating range is from -20 ° C to plus + 40 ° C. The weight of the kit is 2 kg.

Fig. 11 Adhesive film material (AFM)

Fig. 12 Trace-copying composition
in aerosol packaging «Copy»

Photographic, filming, video recording equipment.

Photography as a means of recording has been used in forensic science almost since its invention.

It is used for various purposes: capturing traces of a crime, material evidence seized during a search, recording the environment in which an investigative action is being carried out, for example, the environment of the crime scene, the environment of the apartment of the person being searched, and discovered hiding places. All arrested persons are subject to photography.

To carry out the necessary photographic work, investigators are provided with Zenit SLR cameras, a set of extension rings (for photographing traces and small objects), and a wide-angle lens (for photographing the environment in small spaces).

Investigative vehicles with a staff of more than three investigators are provided with reporter photo bags, equipped with a camera, extension rings, a short-focus Mir lens, a flash, a scale ruler, a set of numbers with stands for marking objects photographed at the scene of the incident.

For stereo photography at the scene of the incident, photogrammetric analysis of the image from the negatives of the stereo pair and automated construction of a diagram of the scene of the incident, the «Stereo-photogrammetric complex at the scene of the incident (FOMGG-1)» is produced.

The complex includes: a portable stereo photography unit based on two Zenit-avtomat cameras, an IMCL 100×50, A-1 measuring microscope; a stereoscope for individual viewing of a three-dimensional image of the crime scene; a personal computer; software.

This complex is designed primarily to record road accidents in large cities (Fig. 13).

For the most dangerous crimes, as well as in conditions where it is necessary to record the process of conducting an investigative action in dynamics (during an investigative experiment, checking testimony on site, etc.), movie cameras and video recorders of various brands are used.

In recent years, due to the complexity of film processing and film production, as well as the wider prevalence of video recorders, filming is used very rarely in investigative actions.

Fig. 13 Stereophotogrammetric complex
for recording the situation at the crime scene (FOMP-1)

Magnetic recording equipment.

Investigators have various models of dictaphones and tape recorders at their disposal. They are used in conversations with eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident, victims sent from the scene of the incident to the hospital, during interrogation of witnesses, victims, suspects, accused, during verification of testimony at the scene and in some other cases.

Fingerprinting equipment.

They are used for fingerprinting unidentified corpses and for obtaining fingerprint samples from victims and financially responsible persons, suspects and accused persons.

For fingerprinting, investigators are provided with the necessary dye (printing ink, fingerprint pad, fingerprint mastic), a rubber roller for rolling out the printing ink, a metal or plastic plate on which the ink is rolled out, and fingerprint card forms.

Fingerprint ink is known to be difficult to wash off hands. For this reason, colorless fingerprinting tablets are supplied to the sites (Fig. 14).

It contains a set of fingerprint cards soaked in a special solution and a ceramic pad also containing a special solution. During fingerprinting, the fingers are first rolled over the ceramic pad and then over the fingerprint card. After a few seconds, the fingerprint pattern on the fingerprint card becomes visible, while the dye on the finger remains invisible.

Colorless fingerprinting is used only to obtain fingerprints of victims, financially responsible persons and other citizens who may have left their fingerprints not in connection with the commission of a crime.

Their fingerprints are only needed to establish that the traces found belong to the criminals, and not to other persons.

For fingerprinting of detainees and arrested persons, special tables are made, equipped with means for obtaining high-quality fingerprints.

Fig. 14 Tablet for colorless fingerprinting

2.3 Means for preliminary examination of traces and other material evidence

During an investigation, the investigator often faces the need to conduct a preliminary examination. The term «preliminary examination» itself means that it is carried out before the appointment of a forensic examination.

The criminal procedure legislation does not provide for such an action and therefore it is of a purely operational nature.

Preliminary investigation is most often carried out with the aim of solving the following tasks: 1) determining the advisability of seizing discovered objects as material evidence and then sending them for examination and 2) obtaining information to search for criminals on the trail.

The objects of preliminary examination are traces of hands, feet, tools of burglary, vehicles, human excrement. They can also be items of clothing left or lost by the criminal (headdress, jacket, shoes), tools of crime, cargo removed from the vehicle (spilled grain, bales of hay), etc.

The investigator may conduct the preliminary investigation himself or assign it to a specialist (criminalist, chemist, biologist, etc.) involved in the investigative action. Unfortunately, the preliminary investigation of traces and other objects at the scene of the crime has not received proper application in investigative and operational-search work.

There are many reasons for this situation: underestimation of the importance of preliminary research for obtaining important investigative information, insufficient technical equipment of investigative and operational groups traveling to crime scenes, poor forensic training of investigators and operational workers, lack of proper theoretical development of the problems of obtaining investigative information from traces, etc.

At present, the following technical means and scientific methods are available for use in preliminary research.

Magnifying glasses.

The most widely used forensic magnifying glass with backlighting, which consists of two lenses: the main one with a magnification of 2.5 times and an additional one — 6 times.

The main lens is used for general examination of the object, and the additional one is used to examine individual details. The additional lens is located on the frame of the main one and moves in a circle around it. The handle of the magnifying glass has a backlight system consisting of a 2.5 V light bulb and two 316 elements connected in series. The lighting is turned on by turning the body of the magnifying glass to the right until it stops.

Measuring tools.

These include measuring magnifying glasses, such as «Regula», rulers, tape measures, compasses, calipers and some others.

With their help, traces of shoes, vehicles, tire tread details, sizes of fingerprints, burglary tools, etc. are measured and then, by calculation and comparison with data from forensic reference books, questions about the model of vehicles, their characteristic features, gender, height, age of criminals, crime tools, etc. are resolved.

Devices based on the use of invisible rays.

During the preliminary examination, mainly portable ultraviolet illuminators of the “Tair-1”, “Tair-Z” type (Fig. 15, 16) and electron-optical converters S-70, electron-optical binoculars (Fig. 17), which were already discussed above, are used.

By means of their application, the smallest particles of blood, human secretions, clothing fibers, soot from a shot, stains of fuels and lubricants, forgery in documents and other signs indicating the advisability of seizing the inspected objects as material evidence and then sending them for forensic examination are revealed.

Fig. 15 Portable ultraviolet illuminator «Tair-1»

Fig. 16 Portable ultraviolet illuminator «Tair-3»

Fig. 17 Electron-optical binoculars

The portable X-ray-visual inspection unit «Gortensia-T» is used for preliminary examination.

It is used to examine objects that may contain explosive devices, as well as locks, seals and some others.

The unit is designed for both indoor and outdoor use, ensuring complete biological protection of personnel from X-ray radiation.

Maximum current consumption is 100 μA, operating voltage is 45 kV, the screen working field size is 250 x 250 mm, overall dimensions are 1390 x 345 x 415 mm, weight is about 55 kg (Fig. 18).

Electronic devices.

Several electronic devices are currently being produced for preliminary examination. Among them is the «Kupura-K» banknote counterfeit detection kit.

The kit includes a magnetic sensor (MS) for reading magnetic codes and an ultraviolet illuminator for excitation and visual reading of fluorescent marks. The weight of the device is 0.6 kg, powered by a 9 V Krona battery (Fig. 19).

The Kaplya device is produced for express analysis of the content of precious metals.

It allows you to determine metals of the platinum group, evaluate gold and silver samples, and identify counterfeits made by applying micron layers of gilding.

The test is carried out within 3-5 seconds without leaving any traces on the test object. The device weighs 0.5 kg and is powered by a Krona battery (Fig. 20).

Due to the increasing number of explosions and theft of explosives, a highly sensitive portable gas analyzer of explosive vapors «Echo-M» is supplied to the sites.

It is designed for express measurement of micro quantities of explosives and is used in the search, inspection and examination of the detection zone of explosives and explosive devices, as well as express analysis of vapors after the unauthorized use of explosive devices (Fig. 21).

The device weighs 11 kg, and the sampler 1 kg. The power of the device is 40 W. The device uses argon gas.

It is known that one of the most common crimes is the theft of vehicles. In this case, criminals, as a rule, repaint the stolen vehicle and change its marching data.

The «Contrast» device is produced to detect such facts.

It allows you to detect changes in the thickness of paint coatings, soldering, stickers or welding of metal fragments with changed marking data on the body and parts of the vehicle.

The weight of the device is 1.9 kg, dimensions are 60 x 160 x 260 mm (Fig. 22).

A kit for express analysis of narcotic substances «Polytest».

The kit is used for express analysis of narcotic substances (Fig. 23) of plant origin and pharmaceutical products.

It includes 11 tests for the following types of narcotic substances: hemp, hashish, marijuana, raw opium, poppy straw, morphine, codeine, heroin, promedol, barbiturates, cocaine, ephedrine, amphetamines, lysergic acid (LSD).

If, after using the tests, a positive reaction is detected during examination of drugs similar to drugs, they are confiscated and sent for chemical examination.

Fig. 18 Portable installation
of X-ray visual radiation “Hortensia-T”

Fig. 19 Kit for detecting counterfeit
banknotes «Kupura-K»

Fig. 20 The «Kaplya» device for express analysis of precious metals

Fig. 21 The «Echo-M» gas analyzer for explosive vapors

Fig. 22 The «Contrast» device for detecting changes
in vehicle marking data

Fig. 23. Kit for express analysis
of narcotic substances «Polytest»

Fig. 24. Computer system for compiling
composite portraits «Frame»

Preparations for preliminary examination of traces of blood.

Blood is a very common material evidence.

However, over time it changes its color from dark red, brown to dark gray, and when rotting it becomes greenish. In addition, many substances are similar in appearance to blood (rust, dyes, juices, wine, ink, etc.).

Therefore, suspicious stains found during the inspection of the crime scene, examination, search are often subject to preliminary examination. The forensic kit of the prosecutor's investigator includes the following preparations for this: hydropyrite, Voskoboinikov's reagent, luminol.

Hydropyrite is intended for the examination of fresh traces of blood. Two tablets of this preparation are dissolved in 100 ml of boiled water, and a drop of the solution is applied to the object under examination. If blood is present, the drop of liquid boils strongly, which is clearly visible to the naked eye or through a magnifying glass.

Voskoboinikov's reagent consists of three components: benzidine, barium peroxide and citric acid, taken in a ratio of 1:4:10.

Upon receipt of the investigative suitcase from the warehouse, all components are mixed and stored in one bottle.

Before use, 0.1-0.2 g of the preparation is dissolved in 2-5 ml (1 teaspoon) of boiled water. The solution is transferred to the object under study (pieces of fabric, individual villi, etc.) using a piece of cotton wool wound around a match. If positive, the cotton wool turns blue.

However, the conclusion about the presence of blood can only be made tentatively, since some other substances also cause blueing.

The reaction is very sensitive and washing, boiling, ironing with a hot iron, treatment with gasoline, acetone, soda, ammonia have little effect on the effectiveness of this test.

Luminol is used to determine signs of blood in stains that are old (up to 10 years old) and have been in unfavorable conditions (sun, rain, snow). Washing, ironing with a hot iron, dry cleaning have little effect on the luminol test.

It should be taken into account, however, that a number of substances (beetroot juice, carrot juice, wine, ink, bile and some others) cause a reaction similar to blood.

Therefore, blood tests are carried out with a small portion of stains or individual fibers so that it is possible to present the biological expert with material that has not been treated with the reagent.

A number of other technical and forensic tools have been developed for preliminary examination, but they are intended primarily for use by forensic specialists.

Equipment for creating composite portraits of criminals.

When examining crime scenes, it is often possible to identify witnesses who saw the persons who committed the crime.

In these cases, measures are often taken to create their photofits for use in hot pursuit.

For these purposes, the «Identification Set of Drawings» (IDD) is used. It consists of an album with drawings of individual parts of the face and headgear, slides of these drawings, a device for examining the slides stacked on top of each other and photographing the resulting image of the wanted criminal's face.

The IDD is currently being actively replaced by the computer system for composing composite portraits, «Frame» (Fig. 24). The system includes a personal computer, a display, and a matrix printer.

The complete set also includes a laser printer and a scanner. The system contains elements of real photo images of a face in its memory. In addition to creating a composite portrait, the system allows you to maintain a photo library and search for faces in it by a given set of features. The program for this system is supplied to the field by the Expert and Forensic Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

2.4 Equipment for packaging material evidence

Articles 81 and 82 of the Code of Criminal Procedure require that items seized during an inspection of the crime scene and a search be packed and sealed, if necessary. The same need often arises during other investigative actions: examination, verification of testimony on the spot, etc.

The requirement to pack seized objects is dictated by the need to preserve traces on them. Unfortunately, in practice, this requirement is often not met, which leads to the loss of important material evidence and has a negative impact on solving crimes.

The forensic equipment supplied to investigative units for packing evidence is located in a crime scene inspection case and in a mobile forensic laboratory.

The crime scene inspection case contains:

Mailing envelopes and writing paper — are intended for packing notes, wads, pellets, bullets, cartridges, scraps of clothing, clumps of hair, pieces of wood formed during burglary, cigarette butts and other small objects.

Glass test tubes.

They are used for packing micro-objects: individual hairs, clothing fibers, scrapings from blood and other stains, tiny particles of peeling paint found during inspection of traces of burglary tools, vehicles, and other tiny objects.

Polyethylene bags of various sizes.

They are used to pack weapons, individual items of clothing, shoes, items with traces of a shot, and other similar objects.

A glass cutter is used to reduce the size of glass fragments with fingerprints.

Metalworking tools (hammer, saw, screwdriver, etc.) — used in the manufacture of containers for large, heavy objects with fingerprints, such as an axe, crowbar, etc.

Twine, plasticine, scissors — used when sealing confiscated items.

In addition to the listed tools, the mobile forensic laboratory has a device for wood burning, welding film used for packaging various objects.

The greatest difficulty in packing material evidence is caused by objects with fingerprints: bottles, glasses, glass jars, light bulbs, dishes, cutlery, etc.

It is no coincidence that they are delivered for examination either completely unpacked, which does not guarantee the preservation of traces, or bulky wooden boxes or cardboard boxes are made or adapted for their packing.

Naturally, in such cases a lot of time is spent on packaging, and its quality often does not meet the requirements.

In each investigative unit and inquiry agency, it is advisable to equip a work place for packing material evidence or create a special set for these purposes.

It should include: thick wrapping paper, cardboard sheets for making boxes, scissors, a scalpel, a stapler, paper clips, sticky film, plastic bags of various sizes or film, a wood burning device or a soldering iron for welding film, an awl, needles, harsh thread, twine, glue, postal envelopes, sealing wax, plasticine, a set of glass test tubes.

It is highly desirable to supplement this set with a puncher for punching holes in cardboard tape used for packing shards of window glass with fingerprints.

Using such a puncher, oblong holes are made in the middle of the cardboard tape in pre-marked places that coincide with the protruding parts of the glass shard.

The fragment is then inserted into them and the tape framed around it is fastened with a paper clip or a binder. Several fragments can be put into one box.

The tape can be 30…35 mm wide. The packaging is reliable, not bulky, and can be easily sealed. Holes in the tape can also be made with a scalpel or a safety razor blade, but this is less convenient and takes more time.

Most objects with fingerprints can be packed in cardboard boxes, which can be easily made by the investigator directly at the scene of the crime.

Several sheets of cardboard, a binder and paper clips for this should always be in the investigative suitcase and mobile forensic lab. The manufacture of boxes for individual items is clearly shown in Fig. 25 — 28.

Wooden boxes should be made for packing heavy objects with fingerprints (axes, weapons).

Fig. 25. Packing glass fragments with fingerprints
in homemade cardboard boxes

Fig. 26. Packing a pistol with fingerprints

Fig. 27 Packaging of cutlery with fingerprints

Fig. 28 Packaging of tableware with fingerprints

2.5 Complete forensic equipment

Complete technical and forensic tools are those that include tools for various purposes. They are created for use in the field, mainly during crime scene inspections, searches, and in some other cases.

Complete technical and forensic tools usually include forensic suitcases and mobile forensic laboratories.

Currently, law enforcement agencies have several types of forensic suitcases at their disposal, differing in purpose, configuration, and name.

The unified suitcase is the most widely used in the internal affairs agencies. It is called so because it is intended for use by investigators, inquiry officers, and forensic experts.

In recent years, it has been modified and supplied to agencies under the name of the unified suitcase «Kremen-M1», «Kremen-M2» (Fig. 29).

It contains:

• means for detecting, recording and removing fingerprints: PMD-Ch, PMD-B, PMDL-S powders, flute brush, magnetic brush, black and light fingerprint film;
• means for detecting and removing microparticles: forensic magnifying glass, adhesive film, tweezers, scalpel, glass test tubes;
• means for making copies of three-dimensional traces: plaster, elastic bowl for diluting plaster, spatula for mixing plaster, synthetic paste with hardener, plasticine; «Prelest» varnish;
• means for fingerprinting: printing ink, roller for rolling out paint, fingerprint cards;
• measuring instruments: 10 m tape measure, caliper, ruler;
• tools: hammer, various screwdrivers, chisel, metal and wood saw, gimlet;
• photographic equipment: Zenit camera, extension rings, film cassette, scale ruler;
• means for packing the seized objects: glass cutter, scissors, postal envelopes, polyethylene bags of various sizes, twine;
• means for crossing out plans: compass, writing paper, office paper.

The suitcase also contains a number of other technical means: an electric flashlight, rubber gloves, an electrical voltage indicator, gauze napkins, cotton wool and some others.

In rural areas, the functions of inquiry officers are often performed by district inspectors.

A forensic kit «Kofr» has been developed and produced for them (Fig. 30).

Fig. 29 Modernized unified suitcase «Kremneva-M1»

Fig. 30 Unified suitcase «Kofr-M»

The «Rope» suitcase is produced for inspection of road accident sites. It includes technical means for carrying out various measurements, detection and seizure of material evidence, photographic equipment. Such suitcases are provided to traffic police officers and investigators specializing in the investigation of road accidents.

The arsenal also includes suitcases for inspecting fire scenes, equipped to detect and remove typical traces and material evidence of a fire.

Some forensic science units have suitcases for removing traces of odor and suitcases for express analysis of food products seized during operational activities related to exposing counterfeit wine and vodka products, juices, confectionery, dairy and other products.

The investigative apparatus of the prosecutor's office has a slightly different forensic kit. It has both similarities with the unified suitcase «Case» and significant differences.

The similarity is manifested in the presence in both kits of means for detecting fingerprints, making casts from volumetric traces, various tools, means for fingerprinting packaging materials and some others.

The difference is that the forensic kit of the prosecutor's investigator includes search equipment and reagents for preliminary examination of traces. So, this kit has several probes.

One of them is a steel spoke with a diameter of 2.5 mm, a length of 350 mm with a sharpened end. It allows you to pierce the upholstery of chairs, sofas, bags of grain, flour, cereals, viscous liquids in containers during a search without causing any special damage for search purposes. Another probe is designed for dense soil.

It is assembled from two parts — a handle and a steel rod and is used for soil survey. It can also be used for searching objects in barrels with pickles, liquid and viscous media, in thatched roofs and other places.

Finally, the third probe, consisting of three parts: a handle, an extension rod and a conical tip — is designed to search for objects in loose soil (sand, peat), in snowdrifts, in piles of garbage, haystacks, straw, in shallow pits (probe length 90 cm), in ditches with opaque, liquid and viscous substances.

The forensic kit also includes a device for collecting soil samples. It is a hollow cylindrical pipe with a diameter of 20 mm and a length of — 100 mm. The lower edge of the nozzle is sharpened. With this device, you can take soil samples from a depth of 25 … 75 cm.

A soil sample is taken in cases where there are signs indicating that excavations may have been carried out in this place to hide some objects (stolen items, a corpse, etc.).
The forensic kit also includes a magnetic detector, which allows you to find objects made of ferrous metals in grass, loose sand, snow, cesspools, and reservoirs. It consists of a magnetic head with a device for attaching an aluminum rod or cord.

The lifting force of the head is 8 kg.

The developers of the forensic kit included a device for detecting fingerprints with iodine vapor. It seems that this should not have been done, since iodine vapor causes rust on all metal inserts of the forensic kit, and working with them without appropriate devices that limit their entry into the lungs is not safe for health.

As for the means for preliminary blood testing included in the forensic kit (hydropyrite, Voskoboinikov reagent, luminol), they have already been discussed above.

The most universal forensic kit is a mobile forensic laboratory. Currently, four modifications of such a laboratory are in operation — two in the internal affairs agencies and two — in the investigative departments of the prosecutor's office. They are developed on the basis of the UAZ-452 vehicle and on the basis of the RAF-2203.

Mobile forensic laboratories based on the UAZ-452 are supplied to regions with an insufficiently developed network of hard-surface roads, and those based on the RAF — to regions where such roads predominate.

The laboratory's special cabinets and drawers contain:

forensic investigator's kit, Veterok microparticle extraction device, ultraviolet illuminator, express examination kit, microscope, two lamps, tripods for them and 50 m of cable for connection to the power grid, camera with flash, photo enlarger with photo accessories, movie camera, video camera, portable tape recorder, magnetic lifter, electric megaphone (used when guarding the scene of the crime), magnetic lifter, portable typewriter, special clothing (waterproof raincoat, anti-mustard stockings — two pairs, oilcloth apron, cotton mittens, rubber dielectric gloves), entrenching tool (crowbar, bayonet and entrenching shovels, hammer, axe, hacksaws for metal and wood, metal scissors).

The car also has a tarpaulin to protect the body and traces in bad weather, three different probes and some other equipment.

The roof of the car is equipped with a luggage rack for transporting large-sized material evidence, which is also used when photographing the scene of the crime from above.

A flashing beacon and a turning headlight are installed above the driver's cabin, which are used to find the required house number in the dark.

As you can see, the mobile forensic laboratory is quite well equipped, but unfortunately, the technical and forensic tools available in it are not used effectively enough due to the poor technical training of investigators, who prefer to call in forensic experts when necessary.

2.6 Forensic trace-forming markers

Investigators do not use forensic markers themselves, but they often encounter them when investigating thefts from retail outlets, warehouses, pharmacies, utility rooms at enterprises, office desks at institutions, as well as bribery.

The use of forensic markers is provided for by the Law «On the Police» (clause 9, Article 11), where they are called «special coloring agents».

The main purpose of forensic markers is to create traces on the criminal at the moment of committing the crime that are difficult to wash off and clearly visible to others, facilitating his hot pursuit and subsequent identification.

The development and use of forensic markers turns random luck into a pattern, since forensic markers, when applied to a person's body and clothing, dye them in bright colors that are easily noticeable to citizens, which helps to detain the criminal.

The dyes used in trace-forming agents are quite persistent.

They can only be washed off using effective detergents, but even after removing the colored stains, dye particles remain for a long time under the nails, in the folds of the skin and are easily detected in ultraviolet rays, under the influence of which they luminesce.

As for clothing, the preparation that has gotten on it can only be completely removed by dry cleaning.

During the time until the criminal washes off the dye that has gotten on him, he meets with colleagues, salespeople, catering workers and other citizens who inevitably pay attention to the dyed parts of the body, clothing, which makes it much easier to establish his identity.

In regions where trace-forming agents are well established, they help solve up to 25% of various thefts. Forensic markers help not only solve, but also prevent thefts.

After all, a large number of people from among the criminal element become aware of their use.

Forensic markers are divided into two groups according to their purpose: for applying marks and for blocking objects with material values.

For marking money, securities, various items (for example, given as a bribe) the following are currently available:

— a set of reagents and devices «Rhododendron» (Fig. 31). It is designed to mark banknotes. The hidden inscription made is not detected by household illuminators and ultraviolet devices;

— a special product in an aerosol package «Firefly» (Fig. 32) is designed to apply a thin layer of a luminescent substance with increased adhesion to human skin and invisible under normal conditions to banknotes, documents and other objects. When fingers come into contact with various surfaces on which the product is located (for example, on a door handle), fingerprints remain visible under the influence of ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of 365 nm. The surface area treated from one aerosol package is 1.5 m2;

— Marking markers «M» and «K» (Fig. 33) are designed to apply marks and inscriptions on various objects and documents for the purpose of their identification or prevention of counterfeiting. Marker-tip pens of the «M» type are used to apply marks on paper materials, and marker-tip pens of the «K» type are used to apply marks on objects made of metals, plastics, leather, fabrics, etc. In ultraviolet rays, marker-tip pens «M» give a blue glow, and marker-tip pens «K» give a green glow.

Fig. 31. Set of reagents and
devices «Rhododendron»

Forensic markers designed to block objects with material assets are divided into active and passive.
Active forensic markers are those that have a device for ejecting a dye into space and thus ensuring that it gets on the clothes and exposed parts of the body of the person who activated the device. The dye can be ejected either by mechanical devices, such as a spring, or by an explosive in special pyropatrons.

Recently, liquid markers «Kupel» (Fig. 34) have been produced. They are designed to combat theft of personal and state property. When an object is opened without authorization, the contact is closed and an instantaneous emission of sprayed dye occurs, which retains a bright red color for three days, as well as luminescence in ultraviolet rays. The range of dye emission is at least 1.5 m. The volume of dye is 1.5 ml. This marker can be used in a special device «Kern». The latter has a device for connecting two «Kupel» products to it. The triggering occurs from a signal from a magnetic sensor or by means of mechanical contact. The dispersion area is 5 m.

Recently, chemical traps «Kukla-MG», «Koshelek», «Kredit» (Fig. 35 — 37) have been produced.

The chemical trap «Kukla-MG» is made in the form of a banknote pack with a capacity of 100 sheets. When it is removed from the scene of the incident, a dye composition is ejected and tear gas is sprayed.

The «Koshelek» trap has the form of a wallet. When it is opened, a dye is sprayed and an 80 dB siren is activated, and the «Kredit» trap is made in the form of a banknote pack of ten packs.

Fig. 32 Special product “Firefly”

Fig. 34 Forensic marker “Kupel”
with an electric charge igniter

Fig. 35 Forensic marker «Kukla-MG»

During a robbery, the product is handed over to the robbers along with real money, and 5 minutes after the transfer, a tear gas composition is sprayed and an intense release of orange smoke occurs, which greatly complicates the criminals' ability to escape.

The «Kapral» device is produced for remote marking of various material objects and offenders. It includes two capsules with a coloring agent, five pyrotechnic capsules with a tear gas and an electric flashlight for illuminating documents in the dark.

Passive forensic markers do not have any triggering devices. Their design is intended for direct contact with the person committing the crime. In passive forensic markers, the coloring substance in the form of powder mixtures or ointments is applied either directly to the object that may attract the attention of the criminal, or is placed in bags, paraffin capsules or other packaging and is disguised among such objects.

Fig. 36 Forensic marker «Wallet»

Fig. 37 Forensic marker «Credit»

Passive markers are camouflaged in the packaging of wine and vodka products, firearm holsters, bank packages, ladies' and collector's bags, payphone receivers, boxes for various souvenirs and expensive candies, chocolate bar wrappers, in boxes for narcotics, etc. When such objects are opened, the dye spills out and the coloring substance gets on the body and clothes of the intruder. Often, ointments are prepared on the basis of Vaseline and coloring substances, which are used to treat specially prepared rugs. At the end of the working day, they are placed near the doors, on the windowsills, and if the criminal enters through the doors or windows, his shoes are painted in a bright color and it is possible to trace his route from the scene of the crime, and then use it as evidence in the case.

The product «Carpet» is used in a centralized manner. It consists of a fabric backing with microcapsules with the odorant substance SP-80 MS glued to it. When the capsules are exposed to a person's foot, they are destroyed, the drug gets on the sole of the shoe, which significantly increases the performance of service and search dogs.

The activation of active forensic markers is accompanied by a certain noise (a pyrotechnic cartridge shot, a spring click) and is always obvious to the criminal. When a passive marker is activated, the criminal may not know this fact and discovers it only after some time.

The same object can be blocked by both active and passive forensic markers. In this case, objects that facilitate leaving fingerprints of the criminal are often installed along with forensic markers.

The following requirements are imposed on forensic markers.

1. They must not be dangerous to human life and health.

2. The design of forensic markers must be constantly changing. When using the same forensic marker designs, criminals will quickly learn to recognize them and will not touch them when committing thefts. Using different types of markers allows you to avoid this.

3. Forensic markers must be reliable in operation, designed for long-term use in various climatic zones.

4. Forensic markers should be simple in design, designed for the use of improvised materials and unskilled labor for their manufacture (police school cadets, etc.). Only ejection devices are manufactured in factories — pyropatrons, mechanical devices, basic mixtures of dyes. They are the basis for any design developed directly on site. This ensures a huge variety of forensic markers, which does not allow criminals to recognize them when committing crimes.

5. Forensic markers must be cheap. This requirement is put forward due to the fact that a huge number of objects are blocked by these means and if they are expensive, then significant funds will be required for their manufacture.

Practice has developed the following procedure for using trace-forming agents. Criminal investigation officers determine the type of objects to be blocked by these agents and their quantity. In accordance with this, together with employees of forensic units, the design of forensic markers is developed, and their production is organized. The composition of the coloring agent is determined by a chemist based on the supplied basic mixtures applicable to a separate territorial zone. The latter is important, since when a suspect is detained, the area where the crime was committed can be determined based on the substance found on him.

The fact of installing forensic markers on an object is documented by a report of the established form, drawn up by a criminal investigation officer or a district police officer. It specifies the name of the blocked object, the position and surname of the police officer who installed the forensic marker. The surname, first name, patronymic of the financially responsible person, the appearance of the forensic marker and the «predatory substance» used in it (without its exact name). The financially responsible person is given detailed instructions on the rules for handling the forensic marker and is warned not to disclose the fact of its installation. A sealed bag with a sample of the dye is attached to the report. The list of all objects blocked by these means is kept in the duty unit of the internal affairs agency and is used to inform the investigative team leaving for the scene of the incident upon receiving a report of a theft. The fact of the forensic marker being triggered is reflected in the crime scene inspection report and urgent information is sent to the task forces via radio to search for the criminal on the spot. A sample of the dye is attached to the report if it was partially spilled as a result of the forensic marker being triggered.

There are often cases when criminals take a forensic marker (often a passive one) with them. In such cases, the investigator indicates in the inspection report that, according to the financially responsible person participating in the inspection, a forensic marker was in such and such a place the day before the theft, but was not found at the time of the inspection. More details about this are recorded in the interrogation report of this person. The act of blocking the object with a forensic marker and the sample of the dye attached to it will be requested from the police agency and attached to the criminal case.

If a suspect is identified, an immediate examination and inspection of his clothing, a personal search, a search at his place of residence and work are carried out. In all cases, an ultraviolet illuminator is used. If a substance that could have been formed by a forensic marker is found on the body, it is removed using a gauze swab, and clothing with traces of such a substance is packed and sent for physical and chemical examination.

It is advisable to entrust the examination to the forensic department of the local Ministry of Internal Affairs, Department of Internal Affairs, since the experts of this department are well aware of the methods of studying the substances used in forensic markers. Before the examination, two questions are usually asked: 1) what is the composition of the substance that caused the stain on the clothes or body of the suspect and 2) does it match the composition of the substance of the forensic marker installed on the object from which the theft was committed. For a comparative study, a sample of the substance attached to the act of blocking the object with a forensic marker is sent for examination along with the clothes (swab).

3 PROVIDING INVESTIGATION WITH FORENSIC INFORMATION

3.1 The concept of forensic information and its importance in the investigation

Forensic information is systematized data on people, corpses, methods and means of committing a crime, stolen items, traces and material evidence, as well as other objects that are important for investigating crimes. Taking into account the interests of practice, the types of records containing forensic information are constantly expanding.

Forensic records — sources of forensic information consist of the following elements: accumulation of information, its systematization, identification of registered objects and issuance of reference information.

Accumulation of information occurs due to the receipt by the divisions that carry out the registration of registration cards from investigative and operational units on the crimes under investigation and the suspects and accused involved in them, reports from judicial bodies on the results of the consideration of criminal cases, operational reports on crimes and the methods of their commission, and the signs of criminals. An important source of the information taken into account are also expert opinions on the results of the examination of material evidence. In order to quickly find the incoming information, it is systematized. For each type of registration, its own system of information arrangement has been developed.

Identification of the registered information is carried out by the employees who carry out its registration. In some cases, computers are used for these purposes.

Information is issued at the request of the investigator, inquiry officer, or court, who, if necessary, send a request of the established form to the units implementing the records. The results of the check are indicated on the reverse side of these requests, and they are returned to the initiator of the request. In emergency cases, the records are checked by telephone or telegraph.

All records are currently maintained by the internal affairs agencies, and the procedure for their creation and use is regulated by the instructions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. This, however, does not mean that records are used only by investigators and inquiry officers of the internal affairs agencies. They are interdepartmental in nature, and investigators from all law enforcement agencies seek their assistance when investigating crimes.

Currently, the importance of forensic records is determined by the fact that they:

• allow you to quickly and reliably establish information important for the investigation about suspects and accused persons: whether they were previously convicted, when, for what, where they served their sentence, etc.;

• facilitate the disclosure of non-obvious crimes. Many records, including fingerprinting, bullet and cartridge case libraries, records of lost, found, stolen and voluntarily surrendered weapons, stolen items, etc., allow us to obtain information directly indicating the possible involvement in the crime of a specific person who has been suspected;

• facilitate the detection and seizure of objects of criminal encroachment — stolen during thefts, robberies, robberies, murders and rapes involving theft of valuables. It is for these purposes that forensic records of stolen, found and seized items, antiques and fine art have been created;
  help to establish missing persons and the identity of unidentified corpses — according to the records of corpses and missing persons;

• accelerate and facilitate the verification of investigative and operational-search versions, for example, versions that provide for the possibility of committing a similar crime by those previously convicted of a similar crime, escaped from prison, etc.

Forensic records also help to solve a number of other issues that arise during the investigation of crimes and the implementation of preventive measures. The effectiveness of using forensic records depends on the knowledge of practitioners of its capabilities, as well as on their initiative and timely appeal to their assistance.

According to the volume of information included in the records, they are divided into centralized (federal) and territorial (regional). Centralized records are those that contain information on the scale of the Russian Federation (previously on the scale of the USSR), and local records are those that contain information on the scale of the republics, territories and regions that are part of the Russian Federation.

3.2 Providing the investigation with forensic and reference information on individuals and corpses

Forensic records of living persons are the most common compared to other forensic records. They include those arrested and convicted for crimes committed, unknown criminals, missing persons, suspects of forging medical prescriptions for obtaining narcotics in pharmacies, owners and drivers of vehicles, and unknown patients. Let's consider these records and the possibilities of their use in an investigation.

Surname and fingerprint records.The following are on the Federal Register (in the Main Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia):

a) convicted in the territory of Russia to the exceptional measure of punishment — the death penalty and imprisonment, regardless of the composition of the crime and the term of punishment;

b) convicted in a foreign state and transferred to Russia to serve a sentence or materials about whom are received in accordance with treaties on legal assistance and legal relations in criminal cases, regardless of the type of punishment;

c) convicted to restriction of freedom, in respect of whom the court has issued a determination to send to places of imprisonment;

d) persons sentenced to imprisonment with a deferred sentence, in respect of whom the court has issued a ruling on sending them to places of imprisonment to serve the sentence imposed by the sentence;

d) persons wanted by security and internal affairs agencies.

In addition to the above categories of convicted persons, the following are also registered locally (IC MVD, GUVD, UVD of the republics of territories and regions that are part of the Russian Federation):

a) all convicted, arrested and charged on the territory of the republic, territory, region, regardless of the composition of the crime, the term and type of punishment, the chosen measure of restraint;

b) convicted in other republics, territories, regions to the exceptional measure of punishment, as well as to imprisonment, who arrived to execute the sentence or serve the sentence in the given republic, territory, region;

c) persons who have committed crimes, materials on whom, without initiating a criminal case, have been sent for the application of measures of social influence;

d) persons who have committed socially dangerous acts, placed by a court decision in psychiatric hospitals for compulsory treatment, as well as transferred to the care of relatives or guardians.

To check the surname register, a request of the established form is filled out and sent to the territorial information center, and if there is reason to believe that the person being checked was held accountable in another republic (territory, region), then the request is also sent to the Main Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for checking the federal register.

The results of the check are reflected on the back of the specified requirements. Here, information is provided on all convictions, changes in sentences, grounds and time of release for the last conviction, insanity of the person, place of serving the sentence with the indication of the postal address. Requests are executed within three to five days.

Closely related to the surname register is the fingerprint register. Suspects and accused persons who do not have identification documents or who are questionable are checked using fingerprint register. In these cases, fingerprint cards of those being checked are sent to information centers. Fingerprint register is also used to establish the identity of unidentified corpses. Positive results in this case can only be obtained if the deceased was previously convicted and held in custody. Fingerprint register of persons convicted of crimes is sometimes used to check fingerprints seized in unsolved crimes.

Registration of qualified and especially dangerous criminals.This category of persons is registered using the «Dossier» subsystem. In the Main Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, this system is linked to a centralized photo library, which stores photographs of persons registered.

Suspects, accused and convicted persons are registered. The selection of persons subject to registration is carried out by investigators of the internal affairs agencies and the prosecutor's office not on an article-by-article basis, but based on the importance of the information for the detection, investigation and prevention of crimes, as well as for the improvement of forensic tactics and methods for the detection and investigation of crimes. Only persons included in the most criminal group of offenses are subject to registration:

a) having a persistently expressed criminal orientation: bandits, rapists, currency dealers, smugglers, speculators, extortionists, drug dealers, weapons manufacturers, drug manufacturers, brothel keepers, robbers, housebreakers, counterfeiters, embezzlers, black marketeers, weapons dealers, car thieves, murderers, safecrackers, antique dealers, swindlers, bribe takers, terrorists, prostitutes, racketeers, etc.

b) committing crimes characterized by the following features: interregional focus, professionalism of execution, exceptional audacity, particular cruelty, cynicism, in relation to children, in relation to government officials and deputies, in relation to law enforcement officers, seriality.

Recording is carried out using a computer.

Recording of missing persons, unidentified corpses, unknown patients and children.The objects of this registration are citizens of the Russian Federation, as well as the CIS, foreign citizens and stateless persons who have lost contact with their relatives (or in connection with the application of representative offices located in the territory of Russia). The following are subject to registration:

• persons who have disappeared without apparent reason, whose whereabouts and fate remain unknown;

• minors who have left home without permission;

• minors who have escaped from boarding schools, orphanages and other institutions where they were kept; — mentally ill persons who have left home or medical institutions;

• persons who have left nursing homes and homes for the disabled without the knowledge of the administration;

• unidentified corpses of citizens;

• persons in mental hospitals and other medical facilities, homes for the disabled and elderly, orphanages and boarding schools, who, due to their state of health, cannot provide any information about themselves.

The basis for registration is a resolution on the initiation of a case to identify an unknown person.

Registration of persons declared wanted.This registration is intended to ensure federal search activities for persons hiding from authorities.

The following persons are registered:

• who have committed illegal acts and are hiding from investigation and trial;

• those who have escaped custody or trial;

• those who are conditionally convicted or conditionally released;

• those who have voluntarily left work at national economic facilities;

• those who evade payment of monetary amounts in accordance with claims by enterprises and organizations (government debtors) or citizens (alimony defaulters);

• those who have disappeared without apparent reason (missing persons).

In the Main Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the centralized registration of wanted persons is carried out by the automated information system (AIS) «VR-Notification». Written requests for verification of these records are executed within 24 hours from the moment of receipt by the information center, and telephone requests — directly at the time of the request.

3.3 Providing the investigation with forensic information on crimes and stolen goods

During an investigation, it is very important to establish crimes committed in a similar manner. For this purpose, qualified and especially dangerous types of crimes are recorded. The following are recorded: violent crimes, qualified thefts of property, thefts from metal storage facilities, car thefts, thefts of cargo in transport, organization of criminal activity, crimes against public safety and justice, counterfeiting and forgery of documents, theft of production resources and raw materials, financial and currency fraud, drug trafficking, smuggling, corruption.

The objects of recording qualified and especially dangerous crimes are: intentional murders, sexual offenses, threats to kill, robbery, banditry, sabotage, necrophilia, serious bodily harm, torture, malicious hooliganism, extortion, hostage-taking, terrorist acts. Depending on practical needs, the list of crimes recorded may change.

In addition to the listed crimes, other crimes are also recorded that are characterized by the following features: interregional focus, professionalism of execution, exceptional audacity, particular cruelty, cynicism, committed against children, government officials and deputies, law enforcement officers.

Both unsolved and solved crimes are recorded.

The selection of crimes subject to registration is carried out by investigators of the internal affairs agencies and the prosecutor's office not on the article principle, but based on the importance of the information for the disclosure, investigation and prevention of qualified, especially dangerous, serial, interregional crimes, as well as for improving the methodology of their investigation.

This registration is carried out using a computer.

Registration of stolen, confiscated, as well as lost, found, surrendered weapons.This registration is carried out in order to assist in solving crimes committed with the use of firearms. The following are registered: combat, hunting and sporting rifled weapons, grenade launchers, flamethrowers, portable barrel and rocket artillery shells, explosive devices of remote, electromechanical and manual control.

Weapons registration in territorial information centers is carried out manually, and in the Main Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation — based on the use of a computer (the «Weapons» subsystem).

The check of the records can be carried out both upon written request (the check is carried out within 24 hours) and by teletype.

Record of stolen and hijacked vehicles. This record is intended for use in the implementation of operational and investigative measures to detect stolen or abandoned vehicles. It is also used when registering vehicles in the traffic police departments. The record is automated (the «Autosearch» system).
All domestic and imported passenger and freight vehicles of all known models and brands are registered.

Registration of stolen antiques and cultural valuables. This registration is organized to ensure the search for stolen antiques and cultural valuables and to assist in solving crimes related to their theft.

The following stolen and recovered items of historical, artistic or scientific value are registered:

• archaeological finds, antiquities;

• anthropological and ethnographic items;

• historical relics (geodetic maps, badges of honor, medals, stamps, manuscripts, rare printed documents, rare books, religious photographs, facsimile reproductions);

• artworks (paintings, graphics, drawings, sculptures, miniatures, icons);

• applied art items (dishes, vases, clocks, cutlery, jewelry, items of women's and men's toilet, chests, caskets, boxes, snuffboxes, furniture, objects of religious rites, weapons, musical instruments).

The card index in the information centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs, and the Department of Internal Affairs is maintained both manually and using a computer. In the Main Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the accounting is fully automated (the «Antiques» subsystem). When accessing the accounting, information is provided on the identification features of antiques on the register, the initiator of the search for these items, the place and method of theft, data on the owner, statistical information on the accounting. The check of the accounting is carried out by teletype, telephone and written requests. Written requests are processed within 24 hours.

Accounting of stolen and confiscated documents of general state circulation and numbered items.This record is kept to facilitate the search for stolen and confiscated documents, items that had individual numbers or characteristic features, as well as to assist in solving crimes related to them.
Stolen and confiscated numbered items, as well as documents and securities of national circulation registered in territorial information centers, are placed on centralized record in the Main Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

The reference to the register is made mainly to establish whether the document (thing) being checked is registered, by whom and in connection with what it was registered, who is the owner. In the event that it is established that the identified item is listed as lost, the internal affairs agency that registered it, as well as the agency that identified the item, are immediately notified.

3.4 Providing the investigation with forensic information on seized material evidence

Practice knows of numerous cases of several crimes committed by the same persons before their arrest. In order to facilitate the timely disclosure of such crimes, records of material evidence and some other objects that help to identify criminals and fully expose them are organized. Records of material evidence (or their photographs, casts) are kept in the forensic departments of the internal affairs agencies, since work with such objects requires expert training and special research equipment.

Let's consider these records.

Record keeping of fingerprints recovered from unsolved crimes (fingerprint archives).This record is used to establish the facts of fingerprints left by the same person at several crime scenes, as well as the facts of fingerprints left at crime scenes by specific suspects. Investigation files are maintained in all forensic science divisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republics that are part of Russia, the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs, the Directorate of Internal Affairs, the Department of Internal Affairs for Transport, as well as in city and district police agencies that have forensic experts on staff. The card file contains photographs of fingerprints from unsolved murders, robberies, thefts, rapes, fraud, vehicle theft, and other crimes. The card file is used to check detainees registered for operational investigations, and other individuals detained and delivered to internal affairs agencies if there are grounds to suspect them of committing a crime. When checking specific individuals using fingerprint files, in addition to a written assignment, a fingerprint card of the person being checked is sent.