CRIMINAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THEFT OF FOREST WOOD

The article considers theoretical issues related to the forensic characterization of illegal logging and theft of timber. Such components of the forensic characteristic as: a subject of criminal encroachment, a way of commission of a criminal offense, the person of the criminal, typical traces of a criminal offense are analyzed. The opinions of domestic and foreign scientists, specialists in the field of criminal law, criminal procedure, criminology on the study of forensic characteristics of criminal offenses in the field of forest protection are considered. The purpose of the study is formulated, namely a detailed analysis of the main elements of the forensic characteristics of theft of timber, which will significantly help investigators and other units in their practical activities during the investigation of criminal offenses of this direction. The article states that not all these elements of forensic characteristics work equally in different types of criminal offenses. Some of them are of paramount importance, others, on the contrary, recede into the background or even absent. The elements of the forensic characterization of criminal offenses are interrelated. If there are some signs, the investigator may assume the presence of others (for example, on the traces left at the scene, it is possible to assume the professional skills of the offender, his age, gender, mental anomalies, etc.). This is the significance of forensic characteristics, its practical role. The analysis of case law names the typical traces that can be committed in illegal logging and theft of timber, namely: changes that occurred on the land after illegal logging; changes that took place in the room where the timber was stolen; traces left by agricultural machinery; handprints; footprints; traces of vehicle tires, tractor tracks; biological traces of man (urine, sweat, saliva, blood, etc.), etc.