Harmonization of application of special knowledge legal regulation creating the common european forensic science space (subjects and forms)

Abstract

The fundamentai changes in fight against crime policy by choosing forensic Science as a strategic tool in this fight are currently undergoing in European Union (EU). Hence, every Member State has specific system of forensic Science institutions, the uniąue conception of forensic science and different legal systems as well. Meanwhile, the vision for European Forensic Science 2020 is one page length abstract document, providing only the guidelines for creation of European Forensic Science Area and including a list of areas (terrorism, cybercrime, etc.) covered, būt not prescribing any implementation measures. Acting in accordance with the project “The Conception of Implementation of vision for European Forensic Science 2020 in Lithuania (EUROVIFOR)” funded by Research Council of Lithuania, the authors have accomplished analysis of scientific literature and legal regulations goveming the application of special knowledge indifferent countries representing different schools of forensic science: Germanic (Germany, Austria), Roman (France), the Anglo-Saxons (Great Britain), Eastem Europe (Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus).This paper presents the results of abovementioned analysis showing the need of harmonization of legal regulations, the main directions of such a harmonization, its positive potential in promoting cooperation of law enforcement authorities across EU and some other problems in forensic science sector to be solved in order European Forensic Science Area would be created by 2020. This research was funded by a grant (No. MIP- 089/2014) of the Research Council of Lithuania.