Law Journal of the National Academy of Internal Affairs

The purpose of the article is to analyze the conceptual foundations of the concept of «system», to highlight the historical trends in the formation of the forensic system, to establish a relationship between the forensic system as a science and academic discipline, the impact of the practice of combating crime on the modern forensic system. Methodology. In the article a set of scientific methods is used, namely: historical, historiographical, terminological, systemic-structural, formallogical, comparative legal. Scientific novelty. Based on the analysis of the concept of «system», the allocation of its components – elements between which there are correlation and subordination connections, it is established that the criterion of systematization of forensics is its subject. Accordingly, the subject of forensics is the backbone factor in forensic knowledge about criminal activity and the investigation of criminal offenses, their judicial review, and crime prevention. The history of the development of views on the subject of forensics influenced a change system of science, the quantitative elements of which at different times ranged from two to five sections. On the examples of the impact on forensic science of changes in legislation and the state of the practice of combating crime, it is proved that the forensic system is open and it changes its sections and subsections according to external conditions. The provision on the difference between the criminalistics system as a science and the system of academic discipline “Criminalistics” was further developed. It depends on changes in the system of forensic science and can be adjusted depending on the specialization of lawyers who acquire forensic knowledge. Conclusions. The systematization of forensic knowledge occurs as a result of science’s knowledge of its own subject. The criterion for the systematization of forensic knowledge is the subject of forensics. Among other things, it serves as a backbone factor. The forensic system is a holistic formation of elements (sections) that have their own systematic elements (subsections). The forensic system is open, it is available for filling with new structural elements, categories and concepts. The forensic science system as a science is different from the forensic science discipline system.