General Scientific Category of a Trace: Forensic Aspect

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to analyze the general scientific category of a trace as the fundamental one to formulate the modern legal category of a forensically relevant trace. The article provides a brief review of the views of scientists who have studied the properties of the general scientific category of a trace. The general scientific category of a trace is presented as a characteristic describing and explaining a trace’s properties. The author emphasizes the necessity to distinguish real and existing traces-signs from traces-ideas. The so-called ideal traces are analyzed. The article provides the classification of such traces. The classification recognizes the traces of memory as the traces of memorization, traces of storage and traces of recollection, and mental traces. It is suggested to pay attention to electronic data traces, virtual data traces, and digital data traces.

Keywords

• traces
• category
• reflections
• displays
• mental
• recollection
• digitization
• ontology
• model