The textbook, written by leading experts in the field of forensic technology, reflects the current state and prospects for the development of this section of forensics. The publication is the most complete at present statement of all branches of this field of knowledge, meeting the requirements of the state standard of higher legal education. Along with the traditional presentation of topics that take into account the achievements of related fields of scientific knowledge, a number of chapters are devoted to new methods and means of collecting and researching evidence. The textbook was approved at the meeting of the Department "Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Criminalistics" of the Law Institute of MIIT (Minutes of November 23, 2016 . No. 5). Recommended by the educational and methodological commission of the Institute as a textbook for students studying in the direction of "Jurisprudence" and in the specialty "Judicial examination" (minutes of December 21, 2016 . No. 3), as well as master's programs in criminal law .