Theory of Digital Traces in Criminalistics

The authors compare the reality and perspective of the use of digital traces in this study, including a brief characteristic of the digital traces and their theory. In the context of a vision of considerably wider application in criminalistics and forensic research, they point to the possibility of exploiting the digital traces and its content as a new part of classical criminalistics and forensic traces. The basis for this analysis is probably the only first complex work in Slovakia in this area so far, especially the content of its first – theoretical part. The detailed processing of knowledge was carried out as part of the research within the project of the Center of Excellence in Security Research, including three major outputs of dissertants involved in the project. Digital traces are typical of crime related to the misuse of information and communication technologies, which is also the mistake in opinion of most experts. Unfortunately, according to published research, great deficiencies are also shown in the field of police knowledge of the digital traces. But as reality shows, they are part of virtually every all activity of our present life. The authors in the study distinguish in the traces of criminal activities a number of divisions – many kinds of digital traces. Extensive research during and after the project in research activity 3.3., Center of Excellence of Security Research, ITMS code: 26240120034, co-financed by the Operational Program Research and Development, shows a great diversity of basic features of digital traces.