KEY ASPECTS OF THE IMPACT OF THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF DIGITAL EVIDENCE ON THE EFFICIENCY OF CRIMINAL JUDGMENTS

Davor Trlin
International Burch University Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ajla Bašić
Center for judicial and prosecutorial training of the Federation of BiH

The legal system must adapt to rapidly evolving technologies, balancing human rights protection, particularly privacy and fair trial rights, with efficient crime prevention. Digital evidence collection requires constitutional compliance, such as obtaining search and interception warrants, while ensuring confidentiality and dignity. A key challenge is maintaining the authenticity of digital evidence through a proper chain of custody and technical expertise to prevent alteration. Digital evidence enhances criminal justice efficiency by enabling rapid data collection and analysis, but challenges like data overload and statutes of limitations persist. The rights of the accused, including defense and presumption of innocence, must be upheld in digital cases amidst global issues like inter-jurisdictional data access and international treaty compliance. This paper examines how digitization has driven global legal systems to adopt digital evidence, highlighting authentication challenges and the need for Bosnian and Herzegovinian legislators to revise laws based on the European Court of Human Rights and Constitutional Court jurisprudence. Through case studies from Bosnian and Herzegovinian courts and prosecutors’ offices, the paper illustrates both effective and problematic practices in handling digital evidence.

Keywords: ddigital evidence, IT expertise, criminal justice, constitutionality, jurisprudence..

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