The article discusses the phenomenon of a leading question as an object of forensic linguistic examination. It shows that the leading question (i) contains semantic information in the form of a proposition (propositional criterion), (ii) brings information within the field of a respondent’s view (relevance criterion), and (iii) reflects the version of the described events that is desirable for an inquirer (engagement criterion). Linguistic examination allows to conclude on the fulfillment of the propositional criterion and the criterion of relevance. The criterion of engagement refers to extralinguistic knowledge and can rarely be proven as the result of the corresponding discourse analysis by linguistic instruments only.

 The paper analyses the examples of leading questions’ functioning in real discourse including their use in interrogations at the investigative stage and in court hearings. It highlights those segments of the semantics of ‘yes/no-’ and ‘wh-questions’ that are most often used by experienced communicators toconvey their ideas on the most likely answer to the interlocutor. Related phenomena of investigative and judicial discourse are also discussed: tips and “augmented reality” situations.

The phenomenon of the leading question should be considered as the interdisciplinary one, having not only linguistic, but also psychological and legal aspects. From the methodological point of view, linguistic examination allows to identify only the linguistic features of leading questions proper – presence of a proposition and relevance (introduction of information into the view field of an addressee). Engagement as a feature of the leading question lies beyond the scope of linguistic knowledge.

This article presents basic principles of expert personnel training in the field of forensic video recording examination within the framework of current system of additional professional education in the Federal Centre of Forensic Science named after professor A.R. Shlyakhov of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. From the forensic expertology point of view the concepts of “forensic activity subject”, “special knowledge” and “video expert competence” are considered. Basing on the experience of the advanced training courses, the article illustrates the approaches to expanding the video expert competence and improving the skills of acting experts taking into account the development of technical of fixation means of photomaterials and audioand video recordings.

The introduction of modern technologies requires an expert to improve his knowledge, skills and abilities which is not possible without qualified development of his expert knowledge and competence. The analysis of literature sources has shown that the majority of scientists adhere to the opinion that the knowledge and competence of an expert should be developed in the process of professional training. As a rule, this position is only justified from the point of view of the forensic examination theory, while the psychological aspect of knowledge and competence of an expert remains without due attention. Thus it is important to study the psychology of forensic activities in terms of developing the expert competence.

As part of the educational process, future experts study the psychology of professional activity, but the information received is not sufficient to develop professional skills. During training there is no immersion in the specific nature of psychological knowledge about forensic activities and therefore, from our point of view, this educational process needs to be revised. For a good insight into pshycological features of the expert’s activities, the trainees should study them taking into account psychological knowledge and paying attention to mutual influence of two academic disciplines (psychology and forensic science) as well as to the psychological structure of a forensic expert personality, its structural components and psychological interaction with other participants in the process, simultaneously developing an expert way of thinking and inner conviction. This training process should result in acquiring the relevant knowledge and subsequent development of skills related to the competence component of the expert’s activities. 

The article presents the results of the studies of dried and crushed marijuana using nearinfrared spectroscopy and spore-pollen analysis for solving an expert task of establishing the affiliation to previously separated plant masses. The recording of near-infrared spectra of expert samples has been carried out. The possibility of interpreting spectral data using discriminant analysis of projections on latent structures is shown. The taxonomic composition of 8 435 pollen grains and spores has been determined, as well as the quantitative content of each taxon.

 According to the results of the conducted research, it was concluded that the application of a complex of independent and complementary methods allows to obtain the necessary and sufficient number of matching signs that can be recognized as unique for identification. The proposed research scheme can be also applied to other narcotics of plant origin. 

The article considers one of the most technologically advanced groups of document and banknote security features – diffractive optically variable image devices (DOVID). Over the last decades they have been actively developed both technologically and in terms of increasing the attractiveness of secured graphic printing products. According to research, DOVIDs (holograms) along with watermarks are among security features the most easy-to-remember and recognizable ones by consumers.

The popularity of DOVIDs lies in their durability and universality. Manufacturers tend to make them verifiable both at the entry-level (due to a range of optically variable effects) and at the expert level – by involving forensic document security experts using special equipment which allows to determine the optical variability of the security feature in general, as well as the physical parameters of the diffraction grating (its period and orientation) in particular. The article reviews the process of development of these security features, notes the main manufacturers and their products, used in the making of secured printing products, briefly outlines the general principle of their functionality, gives illustrations of some of them, and highlights the main reasons for the increased popularity of DOVID. In addition, the devices are presented that help verify the authenticity of security features.

The article deals with the issues of traceological forensic examination of shoeprints generated while putting shoe covers upon shoes using special thermal devices, and during subsequent walking in shoes. A sole surface shoeprint appears on the shoe as a result of transfer of dust, oil and other substances’ layering on the shoe sole from road surfacing. The peculiarity of the formation mechanism of these traces points to the heating of the polyvinyl chloride film of the shoe cover at the time of the shoeprint formation on the shoe cover, as well as to the fact of wearing shoes with shoe covers on. While wearing shoes, after the shoeprint formation on the shoe covers, the sole of the shoes repeatedly contacts with the shoe covers and, accordingly, with the shoeprints already being on them. The contact frequency is determined by the time of walking and the number of steps taken while wearing the shoes. It is noted that the repeated contact interaction of the shoe sole and the surface shoeprint on the shoe cover leads to chafing and trampling of the shoeprint and to deterioration of its quality. This results in reducing the sharpness (blurring) of the outline elements of the shoeprint pattern, changing their contour shape and fading of most of the sole surface microrelief features in the shoeprints. When solving the issue of identity of the shoe which formed the shoeprint in the shoe cover, it is proposed to pay special attention to the signs of the shoe sole wear, visualized in the shoeprints in the form of scuff zones. They are exactly the ones selectable for distinction of the final shoeprint pattern blurred by the multiple contact of the sole with the shoe cover. To increase the effectiveness of comparing shoeprints on the shoe covers with experimental shoeprints, it is recommended to use the technique of constructing templates – the geometric patterns taking into account the signs of localization, shape, size of wear zones, and the relative location display of these zones in the shoeprint. 

The article analyzes modern expert technologies for detection and examination of traces of crime in complex investigative circumstances. The expediency of developing the topic is determined by the fact that the modern expert technologies indicated by many authors are not widespread enough, and a systematic approach to the detection and examination of traces has not been implemented. It is necessary to familiarize researchers and practitioners with a wide range of capabilities of the modern approach to working with traces using world-class innovations and technologies.

The scientific novelty of the study is due to the fact that, based on an empirical approach, the state-of-theart technical and theoretical developments have been identified in the field of expert technologies, which are not yet widely used neither in theoretical recommendations nor in practical activities of investigators. The methodology and the technique of the examination are based on the deductive model of the scientific method and consist in observation, synthesis, analysis, systematization and deduction, followed by formalization done within the framework of practical activities. 

The article provides a justification of the possibility of using public geoportals and GIS data to establish the circumstances of a road traffic accident when conducting auto-technical and video-technical forensic examination and gives the relevant examples as well. Distinctive features of examination of video and photo images taken on the accident scene are considered. The terms and definitions essential for presentation of the examination procedure and its findings in the expert opinion are given. 

This section presents translated abstracts of selected papers that appeared in the following
periodicals: Journal of Forensic Sciences [www.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jfo] and Forensic Science
International [www.elsevier.com/locate/forsciint], Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation
[www.elsevier.com/locate/j.fsidi], Forensic Science International: Reports [www.elsevier.com/locate/j.fsir],
Science & Justice [www.elsevier.com/locate/j.scijus].