Evaluation of the Regulatory Framework for Digital Information In Criminal Proceedings

The rapid digitalisation of criminal proceedings has increased the evidentiary importance of electronically stored information and has created new challenges for admissibility, reliability, data integrity, and the protection of fair-trial rights. This study evaluates the regulatory framework governing digital information in criminal proceedings, with particular attention to the collection, preservation, verification, and use of digital evidence in national and transnational investigations. The research applies comparative legal analysis, black-letter legal analysis, and content analysis of scholarly literature, international standards, and selected criminal justice practices from 2018 to 2025. The study examines procedural and technical requirements, including the legality of acquisition, documentation of all stages of handling, chain of custody, source identification, secure storage, audit mechanisms, and the use of verified forensic tools. The findings show that the legal validity of digital evidence depends on the coordinated interaction of procedural safeguards and technical standards. Jurisdictions with more developed regulatory systems demonstrate stronger mechanisms of automated logging, multi-level access control, certification, and regular verification. At the same time, states with less formalised procedures face higher risks of evidentiary challenges, loss of integrity, and violations of participants' rights. The study argues that national regulation should be harmonised with international standards, including ISO/IEC 27037:2012 and Council of Europe approaches to electronic evidence. It recommends adopting clear admissibility criteria, mandatory documentation rules, regular procedural audits, professional training, and methodological guidelines for investigators, forensic experts, prosecutors, defence lawyers, and judges. These measures can strengthen evidentiary reliability, procedural fairness, and cross-border cooperation in digital criminal justice.