HISTORY OF THE Development of Ukrainian Criminalistics

The article explores the history of the formation and development of criminalistics in Ukraine, from the times of Kyivan Rus to the modern stage of integration with innovative technologies. The contribution of domestic scholars and practitioners to the development of theoretical and practical foundations of criminalistics is revealed. The stages of institutionalization of criminalistic knowledge, the establishment of specialized expert institutions, and the introduction of scientific methods into crime investigation practice are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the current state of criminalistic science in Ukraine and its prospects in the context of digitalization and the advancement of information technologies. The importance of preserving scientific traditions and improving professional training in the field of criminalistics is emphasized as a guarantee of effective crime prevention and the administration of justice.