The role of methodological approaches in the forensic support for the investigation of environmental crimes
Palavras-chave:
Environmental Crimes, Forensic Support, Methodological Approaches, Evidence, Special Knowledge, Admissibility of EvidenceResumo
This paper examines how methodological approaches affect forensic support for environmental crimes within continental legal systems. It analyses how legal rules and procedures determine whether environmental monitoring data and expert findings are considered reliable and admissible evidence. The study applies a comparative doctrinal method, including systematic and comparative analysis and legal diagnostics. It reviews criminal, procedural, and environmental laws of Ukraine, Poland, Germany, and France, together with relevant EU standards adopted after 2020. The results show that effective forensic support depends on a clear and integrated evidentiary framework. Three regulatory models are identified: code-centric, regulatory-integrated, and combined. These models reflect different links between environmental norms, procedural rules, and evidentiary requirements. The study finds recurring problems: unclear definitions of environmental damage, inconsistent procedural status of environmental control materials, and fragmented rules on expert involvement. These weaknesses reduce evidence reliability and admissibility. The paper contributes a structured framework for evaluating forensic support as a legal system, not only a technical process. It also shows that recent EU law strengthens proof and traceability requirements while preserving national procedural autonomy in contemporary practice.
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