23
engineering and technology, medicine and health sciences, as well as humanities. Therefore, it can be freely
said that criminalistics belongs to an interdisciplinary scientific field (a scientific
field comprised of different
fields, areas and specialized fields of science and technology). Given the fact that fields within an
interdisciplinary field are established in
each case, we can talk about the field of criminalistics
in that context
(Šikman, 2012).
Criminalistics as a science which includes the knowledge and methods necessary for detection and
proving of criminal offenses and perpetrators has always been present in the Republic of Srpska. Studying
criminalistics in the Republic of Srpska represents a continuity of studying the system of criminalistics which
was used in former Yugoslavia
48
. Therefore, it is not a new or unknown discipline
49
. Besides, criminalistics
in the Republic of Srpska is not sufficiently developed, nor it is affirmed like other sciences
50
. Criminalistics
in the Republic of Srpska can be viewed through the following activities (Šikman, 2012): educational
(teaching process) activity (education and professional training)
51
, publishing activity (textbooks, books,
scientific journals and other publications
52
), research activity (empirical and theoretical research) and
application activity (use of knowledge and skills in practical procedure for the detection and proving of
criminal offenses and perpetrators)
53
. Hence, the application activity entails personnel potentials which apply
criminological knowledge in practice. It is precisely these personnel potentials that represent a critical point,
given the fact that a large number of persons combating crime have no criminological education, while a
small number of them are recruited through criminological education. This raises the question of who should
be referred to as a criminologist. Is it the persons who have graduated from criminalistics schools (more or
less) or the persons who have gained their criminological knowledge through additional forms of
professional training (courses, seminars and alike), with no prior criminological education. We adopt the
view that a criminologist is a person who possesses criminological education gained at school (primarily
college level), who teaches criminalistics, applies gained knowledge in combating crime, and contributes to
the improvement of the theoretical criminalistics (Matijević, 2005). Only this kind of approach can affirm
criminalistics, the need for its study, its verification and valorization of gained knowledge and skills.
6.
CONCLUSION
Professor Vodinelic deserves most respect when it comes to our criminalistics. The aforementioned
shows just how much his work has determined the development of criminalistics as a science today. Still, it
seems that criminalistics in the Republic of Srpska is not at the satisfactory level. Criminological education
should be studied more, especially on criminal-legal courses at law faculties (mandatory). Aside from that,
the question is how much the textbook contents, as scientific and professional papers, are compatible with
the current criminological issue. The problem is the quantity of these contents, given the fact that there is a
limited number of original papers in criminalistics, and a large number of papers dealing with “big” topics.
Likewise, another problem is that there are many references to the previous papers, or in other words, use of
earlier publications which do not focus on current issues, as well as practical situations. It seems that aside
from the lack of institutional support to the systematic criminological research there is also a lack of interest
of the young in this issue. Special problem poses the fact that technological aspects of criminological
48
Yugoslav criminalistics as an integral discipline was established after World War II. Prior to this, in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
criminalistics was undeveloped, and available references were scarce. It was only after the War that criminalistics was approached as
a teaching-scientific discipline, usually through the system of criminalistics: criminalistics tactics, criminalistics methodology and
criminalistics technique (Vodinelić, 1985; Aleksić, 1979).
49
On the contrary, a great number of people in the Republic of Srpska deal with the theory and practice of criminalistics. As such it
is recognized by the specialized scientific
and technical public, as well as general.
50
Professor Mile Matijević, whose efforts contributed to the affirmation of criminalistics in the Republic of Srpska, rightfully claims
that only such approach and work can affirm criminalistics thought and practice, and eliminate unscientific character of the so called
quasi-criminalistics. Insufficient study into criminalistics contributes to this negative trend as well as deploying personnel who have
no prior criminological knowledge. This is why study, knowledge and explicit application of thorough and modern criminological
knowledge is necessary (Matijević, 2005).
51
Educational (teaching) activity is the most applied activity when it comes to criminalistics in the Republic of Srpska. It is
inevitable in police education at all levels, and in the last couple of years criminalistics can be found even in civilian education
(primarily at law faculties).
52
Most textbooks on criminalistics are published by the College of Internal Affairs Banja Luka, while specific issues are published
by other colleges.
53
In order to give full and objective answers to the questions, it is necessary to conduct a research study which would view the status
and perspectives of criminalistics in the Republic of Srpska (Šikman, 2012).