Forensic handwriting examination in the law enforcement activities of the Russian Federation

Introduction: forensic handwriting examination is of great importance in law enforcement. The data from the official records of the forensic expert institutions of the Russian Federation indicate a tendency to increase in materials of forensic handwriting production, which is associated with the increase in the document flow in the country and a high level of its involvement in the criminal sphere of public life. In this regard, the authors set a goal to determine the current state and the direction of further development of the forensic handwriting examination in the Russian Federation. Methods: the methodological framework for the research are the methods of scientific cognition, among which the main are the methods of historicism, system, observation, comparison, analysis, synthesis, analogy, the study of expert practice, etc. Results: the author’s standpoint is based on the opinion of the competent academic community, the data of sociological survey on the topical issues of the theory and methodology of forensic handwriting examination, the organization and tactics of the use of its results in law enforcement. Conclusions: the current state of forensic handwriting examination in the Russian Federation allows solving a wide range of identification and diagnostic problems. However, increasing the efficiency of its use requires further development in certain areas. Among them are theoretical, experimental, methodological, organizational and tactical, managerial, material and technical, international areas and others.