Content of special knowledge and their use in criminal proceedings

Clear understanding of the concept, content and possibility of using special knowledge in the criminal process is necessary for any successful investigation of a criminal case. Special knowledge can be characterized by a number of special features: they are unknown and inaccessible to public; they are acquired in the course of theoretical and practical preparation for professional work; they are used more than once; they are involved in the process in accordance with the law, when there is a need for such knowledge; they are evidence for the use in a procedural form. The article presents the views of various scholars concerning the concept and content of special knowledge used in criminal proceedings. There are opinions on admissibility criteria and reliability of the evidence obtained during the use of special knowledge. The novels introduced by the new Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which entered into force on 1 January 2015 are considered. Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan contains normative fixed definition of special knowledge. This allows you to more clearly distinguish the knowledge of experts employed in the criminal process, from the common general knowledge.