344
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.73.01.29
How to Cite:
Vynohradova, A., Kutsenko, V., Tymchyshyn, A., Dunaievska, L., & Olkchova-Marchuk, N. (2024). Investigation of criminal
offenses in the field of tourism through technical means. Amazonia Investiga, 13(73), 344-354.
https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.73.01.29
Investigation of criminal offenses in the field of tourism through
technical means
Розслідування кримінальних правопорушень у сфері туризму за допомогою технічних
засобів
Received: January 2, 2024 Accepted: January 30, 2024
Written by:
Anna Vynohradova1
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3147-0821
Vladyslav Kutsenko2
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0878-9360
Andriy Tymchyshyn3
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9591-8273
Liudmyla Dunaievska4
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8093-3892
Natalia Olkchova-Marchuk5
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7656-6666
Abstract
Tourists are frequent victims of criminal
offences, but the investigation of such crimes is
usually complicated by several factors, which
allow offenders to often stay unpunished. The
aim of the research is to study the possibilities of
using technical equipment during detection,
investigation, and prevention of crimes against
tourists. The research employed a doctrinal
approach, a statistical method and other methods.
The study identified the factors of victimization
of tourists and the main scenarios under which
crimes are committed. The main areas of
application of technical equipment for the
detection and investigation of crimes in tourism
are established: the use of photo and video
recording devices, traceology, weapons
examination, handwriting examination,
document, examination, identification of a
1
Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of Criminal Process and Criminalistics, Educational and Scientific
Institute of Law of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: JVG-2974-2024
2
PhD in Economics, Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal, Civil and International Law, Law Faculty, National
University “Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic”, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: FFL-4906-2022
3
Doctor of Law Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Law, Separate Structural Subdivision of Higher Education
Institution «Open International University of Human Development «Ukraine» Ivano-Frankivska branch, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.
WoS Researcher ID: GQM-9832-2022
4
Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of Criminal Procedure and Criminalistics, Educational and Scientific
Institute of Law of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: IAE-5771-2023
5
PhD of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Document Studies and Information Activities, «Academy
of Recreational Technologies and Law», Lutsk, Ukraine.
Vynohradova, A., Kutsenko, V., Tymchyshyn, A., Dunaievska, L., Olkchova-Marchuk, N. / Volume 13 - Issue 73: 344-354 /
January, 2024
Volume 13 - Issue 73
/ January 2024
345
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
person by appearance, phonoscopy, odourology,
research of physical evidence, forensics, forensic
profiling, etc. The problems of using technical
equipment to detect and investigate crimes in the
tourism sector are identified using the example of
Ukraine, particularly the impossibility of using
interrogation video footage as evidence during a
judicial investigation. The obtained conclusions
can be useful for optimizing the work of law
enforcement agencies by providing a wide range
of modern innovations to increase the
effectiveness of detection and investigation of
crimes in tourism.
Keywords: technical equipment, criminal
offences, tourism sphere, innovations,
digitalization, victimization of tourists.
Introduction
Crimes against tourists are very common and
threaten both the safety of people and property,
as well as the development of the tourism sector
due to damage to the image of certain tourist
destinations (Glensor & Peak, 2004). This
necessitates the study of modern technical
equipment that can be useful for detecting and
solving crimes against tourists.
Detection and investigation of crimes in tourism
is often complicated by several factors. These are
the distance and differences in the legislative
framework between the countries where tourists
live and where a crime has been committed
against them, the tourists’ reluctance to report
crimes to law enforcement agencies, as well as
other difficulties characteristic of all areas and
related to the challenge of identifying traces of
crimes and adapting the criminal areas to
traditional methods of investigation.
In view of the foregoing, the means of detecting
and investigating crimes need to be modernized
(Humin et al., 2018) through the exchange of best
practices. Technical equipment helps to increase
the level of crime detection several times
(Nikkel, 2020; Završnik, 2020; 2021).
Technological innovations enable more effective
detection and investigation of crimes in tourism
by detecting and analysing traces that are
difficult or impossible to detect with
conventional methods (Win et al., 2020).
Moreover, they can prevent crime and provide
greater safety for tourists (Brayne & Christin,
2021; Mambetova et al., 2021). Digital
technologies are already widely used in the field
of tourism (Arefiev et al., 2024; Pikkemaat et al.,
2019; Stankov & Gretzel, 2020), ensuring a
higher level of security for tourists. In the event
of a crime, such tools as video surveillance
cameras, identification by fingerprint or license
plate number can provide useful information
during the investigation. Specialized technical
equipment is being developed, which are used by
law enforcement agencies to identify the
criminal, the victim, reveal details of the crime,
etc., based on the smallest traces of materials,
DNA, invisible prints, etc.
The aim of the work is to study the possibilities
of using technical equipment in the course of
detection, investigation, and prevention of crimes
against tourists. The aim involves the fulfilment
of the following research objectives:
346
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
− identify the most widespread types of crimes
in tourism and the factors of victimization of
tourists;
− describe the technical equipment of
detecting crimes in tourism;
− conduct an overview of the analytical
SMART functions of CCTV cameras and
their use for the investigation/detection of
crimes in tourism.
In accordance with the tasks, the first section of
the study reveals the factors of victimization of
tourists, as well as the main scenarios under
which crimes are committed. At this stage of the
research, the relationship between the number of
international tourists and the level of crime in the
most popular tourist destinations in Europe was
revealed by conducting a correlation analysis.
The second section of the study is devoted to the
characteristics of effective technical means that
come in handy in the process of investigating
crimes in the field of tourism. The third section
outlines an approach to improving the
investigation of tourism crimes using video
surveillance. At this stage, the intelligent
functions of modern video surveillance cameras
are described and ways of their application in the
investigation process are proposed.
Literature review
Many researchers study the possibilities of using
technical equipment in forensics. The issue of
crimes in tourism, the use of innovations in the
tourism sector is also covered. Along with this,
the problem of detection and investigation of
crimes in tourism with the use of technical
equipment is not sufficiently studied, and most
works focus only on certain aspects of this field
of research.
Buhalis (2020) studies the possibilities of using
technological innovations in tourism. The
researcher notes both the positive aspects of
innovations in this field and their dangers. At the
same time, the paper states that new technologies
allow tourists to create shared values at all stages
of the trip. Pencarelli (2020) explores the concept
of Tourism 4.0 or “smart tourism” and also
divides the experience of using technological
means in tourism into positive and negative. In
particular, the researcher notes the importance of
using social platforms and the possibility of
accessing them through mobile devices as an
important means of protecting oneself from
emergency situations (terrorist attacks, riots,
etc.). Hua et al. (2020) deal with criminal
offences in tourism. The researchers note that the
implementation of the latest security
technologies in hotels can create new values for
tourists, increasing their safety, and sharing
impressions through digital means of
communication increases awareness. At the same
time, the development and introduction of new
technologies threatens with new opportunities for
committing crimes. Such possibilities include the
risk of information leakage. Besides, security
technologies may violate customer privacy. An
important advantage of the mentioned studies is
the identification of the dangers of using
technical means to investigate crimes in the field
of tourism, in particular, violations of
confidentiality and cybersecurity. This
emphasizes the need to strike a balance between
technical advantages and ethical aspects.
Vakhitova et al. (2023) explore the relationship
between tourism and crime. The researchers have
revealed that tourists are more likely than locals
to experience crime while on holiday,
particularly theft from tourist accommodation.
Researchers note that this affects the tourism
industry as a whole, because crime reduces the
popularity of tourist destinations, and crimes
against tourists deter them from returning to the
places where they occurred. Mataković and
Cunjak Mataković (2019) give reasons why
tourists are frequent victims of offenders. The
researchers also classify crimes in the tourism
sector by perpetrator, noting which objects, types
and goals of crimes are the most frequent in each
case. Buil-Gil and Mawby (2023) compare the
willingness to report crimes by locals and
tourists. The study found that international
tourists are less likely to report crimes to the
police than local residents. However, crimes
involving vehicles are more often reported by
tourists. These studies are mainly focused on the
causes of the problem of crime against tourists,
at the same time, they could be supplemented
with a detailed description of approaches to
solving this problem.
The noted research gap is filled by the work of
Teplytskyi (2020), who studies the problems of
investigating crimes involving computers,
systems and computer networks,
telecommunications networks. One of the main
problems identified by the researcher is
insufficient use or absence of modern technical
forensic tools during investigation. The study
considers the requirements for the use of such
tools, as well as their various types and
capabilities.
Several studies identified the procedural and
legal features of the use of evidence obtained
with the help of technical equipment as an
Volume 13 - Issue 73
/ January 2024
347
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
evidence base. Xiao et al. (2019) study the
analysis of crime evidence based on video
examination. The researchers proposed their own
system of forensic analysis, which will contribute
to improving the quality of video material with
low quality. Chaplynskyi (2022) notes that the
use of technical equipment in interrogations
during the investigation of criminal offences in
tourism is an effective method, especially when
there is a long interrogation with many details.
However, the study doesn’t mention legal aspects
of the use of technical equipment. Venherova
(2020) noted that pre-trial investigation materials
(in particular, video recordings of interrogations)
cannot be evidence in court under Ukrainian law.
These works make an important contribution to
the field under study, because without enshrining
the provisions regarding technical means during
investigations in the legislation, their use may be
illegal and violate human rights.
The conducted literature review gives grounds to
conclude that most of the works cover only
separate parts of the issue under research. The
specifics of the use of technical equipment to
detect and investigate crimes specifically in the
tourism sphere were not studied, which is a
limitation of previous studies, however, provides
space for new scientific research. The author of
this article reveals the possibilities of technical
equipment for detecting and solving crimes in the
tourism sector, conducts an overview of the most
effective means and ways of their use.
Methodology
Research design
The research design involves several consecutive
stages. The first stage provides for the analysis of
the factors of victimization of tourists, as well as
the main scenarios of crimes in tourism. The
second stage provides a description of the most
frequently used technical equipment for the
detection and investigation of crimes, as well as
a description of the latest developments in this
field. The third stage involves identifying the
advantages of using video surveillance to detect
and solve crimes in tourism. In particular, the
new possibilities of modern smart functions of
video surveillance cameras were revealed. The
need to take into account legislative provisions
regarding the possibility of using video materials
as an evidence base, as well as the need to ensure
confidentiality and the need to respect people’s
rights and freedoms, was noted at this stage.
Sample
The sample for the study includes Ukraine,
which was chosen due to the high risk for tourists
within the country today, which requires
increased attention to the problem of
investigating crimes against tourists. Also, the
sample includes European countries, which were
chosen based on the criterion of popularity for
tourist visits, which, in turn, hypothetically
contributes to the increase in the level of crime
against tourists. Secondary data collected from
open access resources were used for the study
(Numbeo, 2023; Statista, 2023).
The work describes the best global practices of
using technical equipment to detect and
investigate crimes in tourism. The possibility of
using video materials as an evidence base is
separately covered, as well as in view of the need
to ensure confidentiality and the need to observe
the rights and freedoms of people using the
example of Ukraine. It should be noted that today
Ukraine is not one of the popular tourist
destinations because of the war. According to
Global Guardian (2023), Ukraine in 2023
belongs to the most dangerous countries for
tourists with an extreme level of risk, along with
such countries as Sudan, Yemen, Burkina Faso,
and the Central African Republic. A high level of
risk is characteristic of Haiti, Mexico, Venezuela,
Belarus, Iraq, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Pakistan,
Papua New Guinea. However, the danger
according to this rating is not always related to
criminal offences. In Europe, according to the
Crime Index (Numbeo, 2023), Ukraine ranks
only seventh in 2023 with a value of 46.8 − it is
overtaken by such countries as the United
Kingdom (46 ,9), Italy (47.3), Sweden (48.1),
Belgium (48.9), Belarus (51.4), France (54.6).
The main limitation of the study is the lack of
accurate information on crimes against tourists,
which may be related, among other things, to the
reluctance of tourists to report crimes,
insufficient attention from government
authorities to the problem.
Methods
The research employed the methods of analysis
and synthesis, deduction and induction, statistical
method to identify the most common factors of
victimization of tourists and the main scenarios
of crimes. These methods were also applied to
describe the main areas of using technical
equipment and high-tech innovations. Besides,
the methods of analysis and synthesis were used
to analyse the functions of the latest smart video
348
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
surveillance cameras and reveal their suitability
for use in the detection and investigation of
crimes in tourism. The doctrinal approach was
applied to outline the possibilities of using video
materials as an evidence base, as well as in view
of the need to ensure confidentiality and the need
to observe the rights and freedoms of people
using the example of Ukraine.
Results
Common types of crimes in tourism and factors
of victimization of tourists
Crime in tourism is a common phenomenon that
has different manifestations, purposes, areas of
occurrence, consequences for victims, as well as
legal consequences for offenders. The most
common type of crime against tourists is theft,
but there can also be such serious crimes as
violence, rape, murder, terrorist acts, etc. In
addition, crimes in the tourism sector can be
committed by tourists themselves, as well as by
tourist establishments in relation to visitors and
criminals against tourist establishments. The
study focuses primarily on crimes against tourists
themselves, the high level of crime in relation to
which can be explained by several factors:
− tourists often carry large amounts of money,
which they can accidentally or carelessly
display, or other valuables (jewellery,
mobile phones, cameras, etc.), which makes
them “profitable” targets;
− carelessness and inattention of tourists due
to being on vacation, as well as certain
excesses during sports, recreation, driving,
alcohol consumption, etc.;
− tourists’ reluctance to report a crime to law
enforcement agencies because of the
ignorance of local laws, fears about possible
problems, in particular, related to returning
from vacation. Besides, even if tourists
report a crime to the police, they are unlikely
to have the opportunity to put pressure on the
police, as their stay in the country is
temporarily. For the same reasons, they are
most likely not to act as witnesses, so crimes
may go unpunished, which encourages
commitment of new crimes;
− hostile attitude of local residents towards
tourists.
Offenders can easily identify tourists in a crowd
because of their clothing different from locals,
confusion, following a map, having a
backpack/camera, etc. Most often, crimes against
tourists involve the implementation of one of the
following scenarios:
− a tourist is an accidental (and easy) victim
who found himself in a place advantageous
for criminals (for example, a crowd at the
airport, public transport, etc.);
− a favourable environment for crime (places
with active nightlife, various entertainment
establishments, etc.);
− the tourists may find themselves in
dangerous places (on their own in particular,
in areas with a high level of crime, such as
urban slums, or in remote areas that attract
tourists with scenic nature) because of the
lack of safety measures in general, risk-
taking, or desire for new experiences
(Glensor & Peak, 2004).
In addition, the tourists’ safety also significantly
depends on the safety of the hotel or other
establishments where tourists stay. Poor lighting
of the hotel territory, the lack of a security
system, video surveillance and other security
means increase the possibility of committing a
crime. The crime rate in the destination country
as a whole can affect the tourists’ safety. For
example, Figure 1 shows the relationship
between the number of international tourists and
the crime rate in the most popular tourist
destinations in Europe.
Volume 13 - Issue 73
/ January 2024
349
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Figure 1. Correlation between the number of international tourists and the crime rate in the most popular
tourist destinations in Europe in 2022 (built by the author based on Numbeo, 2023, Statista, 2023)
The correlation analysis between the indicators
in Figure 1 detects a noticeable statistically
significant correlation, which is approximately
0.5938. On this basis, it can be assumed that a
large number of tourists can be one of the reasons
for the high crime rate. At the same time, an in-
depth analysis of a large sample over a long
period of time is required in order to obtain more
indicative results, but conducting such an
analysis is beyond the scope of this research. In
addition, accurate data on crime against tourists
is lacking due to reluctance of tourists to report
crimes, insufficient attention to the problem by
the authorities, imperfect crime recording
systems, etc.
Technical equipment for detection and
investigation of crimes in tourism
The study of the main factors of victimization of
tourists and the most frequent scenarios of crimes
against them provides information for
determining the most effective technical
equipment for detecting and investigating crimes
in tourism. The use of technical equipment
(including digital ones) for the detection and
investigation of crimes is aimed at obtaining
information in the course of investigative
activities. In forensics, there are many ways of
using technical equipment, the main ones are
presented in Table 1.
Table 1.
Main areas of using technical equipment in forensics
Area
Purpose
use of photo and video recording
equipment
recording crimes with the use of these means makes it possible to identify
the details of the crime and the criminal’s identity
study of traces left at the scene of the
crime (traceology)
enables identifying and collecting various types of traces left at the scene
and to investigate them with the help of technical equipment
weapons examination
helps to understand the construction and methods of use of various types
of weapons, including explosives, to use this information to prevent and
investigate crimes
handwriting examination
makes it possible to determine the author of the text, signature, etc., based
on the features of writing
document examination
used to investigate whether a document is forged
identification of a person by
appearance
provides for the use of technical equipment to search for individuals
based on individual external characteristics
study of sound evidence
(phonoscopy), smell (odourology),
materials, etc
Involves the use of technical equipment to investigate traces in the
relevant directions
Without technical equipment, it would be much
more difficult or impossible to obtain
information in the indicated areas, which would
significantly reduce crime detection rates. In
addition to the mentioned areas, such innovative
areas as forensics, which involves the use of
26,21
10,89 15,32
79,4
28,46 27,84
12,65
49,81
16,07 15,95 22,25
12,7
71,66
30,74
26,8
38,4
24
54,4
37
48
33,9
46,2
27,6 32,1 31,5 32,5 35
46,6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
number of international tourist arrivals (in millions) crime rate
350
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
computer tools to detect and investigate crimes in
the digital sphere, as well as forensic profiling,
which allows creating a criminal profile based on
the investigation of the crime scene (through
analysis and prediction of behavioural
characteristics).
Some innovative means for investigating crimes
are worth noting. Biometric identification
systems have gained significant development,
allowing to analyse not only fingerprints,
external features and handwriting, but also the
iris of the eye, DNA (including old and mixed
samples), gait characteristics, etc. In this context,
one can note the innovative German technology
Eviscan (2023) for detecting hidden fingerprints
and other hidden evidence. A feature of the
technology is the absence of physical contact and
the use of chemicals. After fingerprints are
extracted, they are sent to specialized databases,
in particular, the Integrated Automated
Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) in the
United States of America (Federal Bureau of
Investigation, 2023) or Eurodac in the European
Union (EU-LISA, 2023), for identification of a
person that left them. Some modern technologies
even make it possible to identify fingerprints in
persons whose fingerprints are damaged in some
way. Modern scanners can recognize a pattern
that is under the skin and repeats the pattern of a
fingerprint.
The latest tools can also be used in forensics,
such as:
− mass spectrometers for the study of
microparticles of materials found on the
clothes of the criminal and their comparison
with those found at the scene;
− 3D facial reconstruction – can recreate the
face from the found remains for
identification of the person;
− programmes for accessing hidden files on
the computer;
− hyperspectral imaging technologies are used
to detect minimal blood residues, etc.
Summing up the analysis, it can be noted that
today there is a wide range of technical means
that can be useful during the investigation of
crimes in the field of tourism. However, it is
worth remembering that the use of technical
means in the investigation process must meet the
requirements of current legislation. Otherwise,
their use threatens to violate privacy.
An overview of the analytical smart functions of
video surveillance cameras and their use for the
detection and investigation of crimes in tourism
Considering the variety of crimes that can take
place in the field of tourism, all the technologies
mentioned in the previous section can be used in
the course of their detection and disclosure.
However, in the author’s opinion, the latest video
surveillance technologies deserve special
attention. Video cameras can be installed in
places where tourists gather, where the most
frequent crime against tourists is theft, and cover
a fairly large area. They can also monitor places
with an increased risk of crime (criminal areas,
remote areas, etc.), ensure the safety of tourist
places of rest (parks, restaurants, clubs, etc.) and
places to stay overnight (hotels, hostels, camping
sites, etc.)). New features of modern video
surveillance cameras allow not only to detect and
investigate crimes, but also to predict them using
a system of restrictions, in case of violation of
which the alarm is activated.
Innovative functions of modern video
surveillance cameras can be demonstrated using
the example of Hikvision equipment (Hikvision,
2023). In particular, the latest models can
perform a number of functions to solve the
following tasks:
− signal an alarm in the event of an invasion of
the area or when crossing a line specially
defined by the user (new models recognize
and ignore animals);
− signal if the lens is closed or the focus is
broken (in particular, if it was covered with
a hand, an object, painted over, sticked in
whole or in part, etc.);
− give an alarm signal when the sound exceeds
the set level — loud sounds, shouts, etc. may
indicate a security breach, an attack, etc. (the
function is available in cameras with a
microphone);
− identify objects left unattended — with the
specified sensitivity they can detect
abandoned objects, which can be useful, for
example, to prevent terrorist acts;
− record car license plates;
− identify a person;
− count the number of people in the frame
(Hikvision, 2023).
Analysis of the mentioned tasks shows that such
video surveillance cameras (smart cameras) are
primarily aimed at preventing crimes, because an
alarm signal is triggered if the specified
conditions are met. However, if the signal did not
work (for example, because of incorrectly
Volume 13 - Issue 73
/ January 2024
351
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
defined sensitivity or other parameters), the
material recorded by the camera can be used to
identify criminals and further investigate the
crime. For example, if the hotel is equipped with
such technology, it is possible to allow only
guests’ cars to enter the hotel, and to the rooms
— only the people staying in them. It is also
necessary to ensure proper lighting of the
territory that is the object of surveillance for the
camera (Myroshnychenko et al., 2020). It is quite
easy in the case of a hotel area, but in the case
when the camera is installed, for example, in a
criminal area, the installation of proper street
lighting can cause certain difficulties. In addition
to financial costs, the possibility that the lanterns
may be broken by intruders poses certain
difficulties.
In addition to hotel territory and areas with a high
level of crime, an important example of the
effective use of video surveillance cameras is
their installation in places with a large flow of
tourists. For example, in airports or other places
of large crowds. Such measures can be effective
not only for the prevention or investigation of
minor crimes (for example, theft), but also for the
prevention of such serious crimes as terrorist
acts.
On the one hand, wide opportunities of video
surveillance increase security in tourist places,
but they can affect privacy. Besides, each country
has legislative provisions regarding the
possibility of using video and photo materials (as
well as other evidence obtained, in particular,
with the use of technical equipment) as evidence.
In Ukraine, the use of operational equipment by
the National Police is provided for in Articles 30-
32 of the Constitution of Ukraine (The
Constitution of Ukraine, 2020). These articles
provide for the possibility of restricting certain
rights and freedoms of a person, in particular, the
inviolability of housing, the secrecy of
correspondence, telephone conversations, non-
interference in personal and family life, etc., in
the presence of a court decision or in the case
when obtaining the necessary information related
to a criminal violation by other means is
impossible. According to the Criminal Procedure
Code (CPC) of Ukraine (Código de
Procedimiento Penal No. 4651-VI, 2012), video
materials can serve as evidence in a criminal
case.
At the same time, some controversial points
regarding the use of evidence obtained with the
use of video records are worth noting. For
example, given the long time it takes to
investigate crimes in tourism, which is typical of
such crimes given the distance (for example, if
the victim lives in another country), it could be
useful to use video footage of the interrogation as
evidence in court. The duration of the
investigation may cause forgetting of certain
facts that were observed during the interrogation.
However, according to Article 23 of the Criminal
Procedure Code of Ukraine “Direct examination
of testimonies, objects and documents” (Código
de Procedimiento Penal No. 4651-VI, 2012),
testimony given in the pre-trial investigation
cannot be used as evidence in court, which is
provided because of the possibility of putting
pressure on the suspect during interrogation.
The following most important conclusions can be
drawn from the conducted research. First, in the
conditions of increasing threats of various
origins, in particular, for international tourists,
increasing the effectiveness of the investigation
process is an objective necessity. Secondly, the
use of technical measures can significantly
improve this process by providing additional
evidence, as well as prevent a number of crimes.
Thirdly, investigative actions must comply with
legal requirements. The legislative framework, in
turn, must be constantly optimized in accordance
with the development of technologies in order to
enable the legal application of the necessary
technical means. In this regard, future studies
should take into account not only methodological
features of the use of technological means, but
also proposals for improving the legislative
framework.
Discussion
So, the use of technical equipment to detect and
investigate crimes in tourism is an effective
measure to increase the number of solved crimes.
Besides, technical equipment is an effective
measure to prevent crimes. However, during
their use, a detailed study of the legislation of the
country in which the crime is being investigated
is necessary in order to determine whether the
use of technical equipment does not violate
certain legal provisions, as well as to determine
the possibility of using the obtained materials as
evidence.
The author of this study examines, first of all,
crimes committed against tourists. Some studies
also describe deviant behaviour of tourists
themselves, as well as violations by tourism
industry establishments. Mataković and Cunjak
Mataković (2019) distinguish crimes in tourism
into those committed by locals, tourists, and
representatives of the tourism industry. All types
352
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
of crimes are united by the fact that most often
their goal is to obtain economic benefit.
A number of studies noted not only the
possibilities of using technical equipment to
detect and investigate crimes in tourism, but also
the negative aspects of using innovative
technologies, for example, video surveillance or
computer technologies. Buhalis (2020) notes
such a negative side of the application of
innovative technologies in tourism, such as
privacy violations, system malfunctions,
inefficiency, etc. Therefore, there must be an
appropriate balance between the implementation
of technology and common sense. Pencarelli
(2020) notes that the use of technical equipment
in the tourism sector can raise the issue of cyber
security. When the tourism system is dependent
on network connections, the actions of
cybercriminals can cause the paralysis of the
entire system, which can pose, among other
things, a danger to people’s lives and health.
These findings are mostly related to ensuring the
tourists’ safety and crime prevention, touching
on the means used by the tourism industry itself.
During detection and investigation of crimes, the
use of technical equipment is often justified and
effective, although it also requires taking into
account legislative norms regarding the
protection of human rights and freedoms.
Some researchers noted the advantages of using
technical equipment to investigate crimes.
Teplytskyi (2020) notes that the investigation of
crimes involving computer can be significantly
optimized using such mobile forensics tools as
hardware, software, hardware recording
blockers, computer forensics software, etc. Hua
et al. (2020) note that technology can help control
criminal activity, but they also create new crime
problems. First of all, this is related to the
possibility of information leakage. The
researchers noted that academic studies in the
relevant field widely reveal the problem of
information leakage, but little attention is paid to
the connection between crime and technologies
such as fingerprint access, natural language
recognition, robotics and online payments.
Vakhitova et al. (2023) note the insufficient
effectiveness of such means as a concierge in the
hotel, and a room safe in the hotel room.
Therefore, the researchers emphasize the need
for further research into ways to increase security
in places where tourists live. At the same time,
the authors note that excessive and/or intrusive
security measures can also scare away tourists or
affect their privacy. It is worth confirming that
the use of technical equipment provides
significant advantages, but is always associated
with certain risks, which must be considered
during the implementation of technical
equipment.
Some studies examine problems only indirectly
related to the use of technological means to
detect and investigate crimes in tourism but
expand the research issue by identifying
industry- specific problems. In their study,
Buil-Gil and Mawby (2023) note the problem of
tourists’ reluctance to report crimes committed
against them to the police. The researchers
emphasize the need for measures to encourage
visitors to report crimes to the police. For
example, by informing tourists to turn to police
units or special tourist services in the event of a
crime in the hotel.
Some studies, like the author’s article, deal with
the legal aspects of using video materials as an
evidence base. Xiao et al. (2019) note that video
materials are often used as a source of primary
evidence in judicial investigations. The work of
Chaplynskyi (2022) revealed the peculiarities of
the organization and tactics of interrogation
while conducting tourism-related criminal
investigations. The work states that, according to
the National Police, only 33% of respondents
noted technical equipment as a frequently used
tactical technique. Venherova (2020) reveals the
problems associated with the impossibility of
using video footage of such an interrogation as
evidence in court (according to the legislation of
Ukraine). So, it can be concluded that the use of
video materials during the investigation has its
own peculiarities, which depend on the
legislation of the country, as well as the
subjective views of police officers regarding the
use of such means.
Conclusions
Criminal offenses in tourism are quite common.
The study proved a close relationship between
the number of tourists in the country and the level
of crime by conducting a correlation analysis.
The results of the analysis showed the presence
of a correlation of 0.5938. From this we can
conclude that a large number of tourists can be
the reason for a high level of crime.
Victimization of tourists is caused by a number
of factors that explain why tourists often become
victims of criminals. This is most often justified
by the following main reasons: first, tourists are
quite easy targets; second, they do not always
refer to the police; third, even if tourists do
contact the police, they are unlikely to be able to
put pressure on them because they return home
Volume 13 - Issue 73
/ January 2024
353
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
to another country after vacation. So, impunity
creates new crimes, which makes it necessary to
find new ways of detecting and investigating
crimes. One of the most effective methods is the
use of technical equipment by law enforcement
agencies.
The study revealed the main capabilities of
technical equipment for detecting and
investigating crimes in tourism. Such fields of
forensic technology as the use of photo and video
recording devices, traceology, weapon
examination, handwriting examination,
document examination, identification of a person
by appearance, phonoscopy, odourology,
physical evidence examination, forensics,
forensic profiling, etc., were described. The use
of smart video surveillance cameras was noted as
an effective tool for detecting and investigating
crimes in tourism. It was established that the
smart functions of such cameras can be useful not
only for the detection and investigation of
crimes, but also for their prevention. Examples of
the use of video surveillance cameras on the hotel
territory, in criminal areas and in places with a
large concentration of tourists are considered. It
is emphasized that the use of technical equipment
during the detection and investigation of crimes
must be justified by the legislation of the country
in which the investigation is taking place.
Comparing the results of the research with other
works of the authors, one can note the
contribution of the author's research, which
consists in revealing the specifics of the use of
technical means for the detection and
investigation of crimes in the tourism sphere.
Further areas of research may involve studying
the specifics of crime detection and investigation
capabilities in smart cities, as well as the
advantages and disadvantages of the smart city
concept in terms of its impact on crime.
Bibliographic references
Arefiev, S., Zhyhlei, I., Pereguda, Y.,
Kryvokulska, N., & Lushchyk, M. (2024).
The use of digital technologies to ensure
environmental safety in the context of the
green economy development. Journal of the
University of Zulia, 15(42), 353-369.
https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.42.20
Brayne, S., & Christin, A. (2021). Technologies
of crime prediction: The reception of
algorithms in policing and criminal courts.
Social Problems, 68(3), 608-624.
https://doi.org/10.1093/socpro/spaa004
Buhalis, D. (2020). Technology in tourism-from
information communication technologies to
eTourism and smart tourism towards ambient
intelligence tourism: a perspective article.
Tourism Review, 75(1), 267-272.
https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-06-2019-0258
Buil-Gil, D., & Mawby, R. I. (2023). Do tourists
report crime to the police? An exploratory
analysis in Barcelona. Current Issues in
Tourism, 26(18), 2931-2947.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2022.2105
198
Chaplynskyi, K. О. (2022). Organization and
tactics of interrogation during the
investigation of criminal offenses in the field
of tourism. Bulletin of the Luhansk
Educational and Scientific Institute named
after E. O. Didorenko, 2, 251-261.
https://luhbulletin.dnuvs.ukr.education/index
.php/main/article/view/92
Código de Procedimiento Penal No. 4651-VI.
Liga 360, 13.04.2012.
https://ips.ligazakon.net/document/T124651
?an=1
EU-LISA. (2023). Eurodac.
https://www.eulisa.europa.eu/Activities/Larg
e-Scale-It-Systems/Eurodac
Eviscan. (2023). Contactless latent fingerprint
detection. https://www.eviscan.com/en/
Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2023). Privacy
Impact Assessment Integrated Automated
Fingerprint Identification System
(IAFIS)/Next Generation Identification (NGI)
Biometric Interoperability.
https://www.fbi.gov/
Glensor, R. W., & Peak, K. J. (2004). Crimes
against tourists. ASU Center for Problem-
Oriented Policing, 26.
https://popcenter.asu.edu/content/crimes-
against-tourists-0
Global Guardian. (2023). The most dangerous
countries in the world by region: Emergency
Response, Global Digest, Traveler Security,
Global Intelligence.
https://www.globalguardian.com/global-
digest/most-dangerous-countries
Hikvision. (2023). Hikvision announces new
audio product line, unveils range of network
speakers. https://www.hikvision.com/en/
Hua, N., Li, B., & Zhang, T. (2020). Crime
research in hospitality and tourism.
International Journal of Contemporary
Hospitality Management, 32(3), 1299-1323.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-09-2019-
0750
Humin, O., Zarubei, V., & Rymarchuk, O.
(2018). Concerning the need for
improvement of the methodology of
investigating frauds and development of
methods of investigation of this individual
types. Baltic Journal of Economic Studies,
354
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
4(5), 63-66. https://doi.org/10.30525/2256-
0742/2018-4-5-63-66
Mambetova, S., Ayaganova, M., Kalykov, A.,
Akhmetova, A., & Yeskerova, Z. (2021).
Digital economy in tourism and hospitality
industry. Journal of Environmental
Management and Tourism, 11(8), 2006-2019.
https://journals.aserspublishing.eu/jemt/articl
e/view/5804
Mataković, H., & Cunjak Mataković, I. (2019).
The impact of crime on security in tourism.
Security and Defence Quarterly, 27(5), 1-20.
https://doi.org/10.35467/sdq/115539
Myroshnychenko, V. О., Kochetkova, І. В., &
Makhnytskyi, V. О. (2020). The use of video
analytics in the work of the National Police.
Guidelines. Dnipropetrovsk State University
of Internal Affairs.
https://acortar.link/4MMeaI
Nikkel, B. (2020). Fintech forensics: Criminal
investigation and digital evidence in financial
technologies. Forensic Science
International: Digital Investigation, 33,
200908.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsidi.2020.200908
Numbeo. (2023). Europe: Crime index by
country 2023 mid-year.
https://acortar.link/B1sl5i
Pencarelli, T. (2020). The digital revolution in
the travel and tourism industry. Information
Technology & Tourism, 22(3), 455-476.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40558-019-00160-3
Pikkemaat, B., Peters, M., & Bichler, B. F.
(2019). Innovation research in tourism:
Research streams and actions for the future.
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
Management, 41, 184-196.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2019.10.007
Stankov, U., & Gretzel, U. (2020). Tourism 4.0
technologies and tourist experiences: A
human-centered design perspective.
Information Technology & Tourism, 22(3),
477-488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40558-
020-00186-y
Statista. (2023). Countries with the highest
number of international tourist arrivals in
Europe from 2019 to 2022.
https://acortar.link/LuLTNV
The Constitution of Ukraine. Verkhovna Rada of
Ukraine, 01.01.2020.
https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/254к/9
6-вр#Text
Teplytskyi, В. В. (2020). Technical features of
forensic products during certain investigative
(detective) actions during the investigation of
crimes in the use of computers systems and
computer networks and telecommunication
networks. Juridical Science, 6(108), 248-255.
https://doi.org/10.32844/2222-5374-2020-
108-6-1.30
Vakhitova, Z. I., Mawby, R. I., Helps, N., &
Alston-Knox, C. L. (2023). Tourism and
crime: An exploratory study of burglary from
tourist accommodation from the criminal
opportunity perspective. Crime &
Delinquency, 69(11), 2164-2193.
https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287221106962
Venherova, Yu. V. (2020). The use of video
recording equipment during the interrogation
of persons who have committed crimes in the
field of tourism: tactical and procedural
aspects. In Modern Movement of Science:
abstracts of the 11th International Scientific
and Practical Internet Conference
(рp. 114–116), October 8-9, 2020, Dnipro.
http://dspace.puet.edu.ua/bitstream/1234567
89/9843/1/24112020.pdf#page=114
Win, K. N., Li, K., Chen, J., Viger, P. F., &
Li, K. (2020). Fingerprint classification and
identification algorithms for criminal
investigation: A survey. Future Generation
Computer Systems, 110, 758-771.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2019.10.019
Xiao, J., Li, S., & Xu, Q. (2019). Video-based
evidence analysis and extraction in digital
forensic investigation. IEEE Access, 7,
55432-55442.
https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2913
648
Završnik, A. (2020). Criminal justice, artificial
intelligence systems, and human rights. ERA
Forum, 20(4), 567-583.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12027-020-00602-0
Završnik, A. (2021). Algorithmic justice:
Algorithms and big data in criminal justice
settings. European Journal of Criminology,
18(5), 623-642.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370819876762