The position of digital skills and habits in the criminalistic system

Introduction. In the context of the rapid growth in the number of computer crimes committed annually, the issues of developing recommendations for their detection and investigation, as well as the study of specific trace information are of particular importance. Digital skills and habits deserve special attention. Before developing recommendations for working with them, it is necessary to determine their position in the system of criminalistics. This article is devoted to achieving this goal. Theoretical analysis. The opinions of various scientists on the issue of positioning the doctrine of skills and habits in the system of forensic science were considered. The author highlighted suggestions for its description as an individual forensic theory within the general theory of forensic science; consideration within the framework of the doctrine of man; allocation at the level of general theory and isolation as an independent branch of forensic technology. Empirical analysis. It is established that skills and habits are integral and universal in nature, inseparable from man, therefore, they should be studied within the framework of the doctrine of man. However, the latter has not yet acquired a consensus status in science, so considering skills and habits within its framework is a question of the prospects for the development of forensic science, while now it is optimal to limit ourselves to the branch of forensic technology. It is necessary to take into account that for digital skills and habits this is true only when considering their general provisions, the specificity of various skill properties is harmoniously part of digital forensics, which does not cause discussions. Results. Today, knowledge of digital skills and habits, rules for identifying information about them, recording, removing, storing and processing this information should be recognized as system-forming for subjects of forensic activity and should be assimilated in the process of professional education. They should be studied within the framework of the forensic technology section until the doctrine of man, which will include the doctrine of skills and habits (including digital ones), is finally formed.