INTEGRATING FORENSIC AND ARCHIVISTIC FUNCTIONS: A POSSIBLE DIALOGUE

Abstract

Considering the persistent difficulties in managing digital archival documents, the studies developed in Archival Science establish relationships with other sciences to provide possible answers. Just as Diplomatic studies are relevant to Archivology in verifying authenticity through the application of external and internal elements in archival documents, forensic research is providing subsidies in administrative and archival routines, to try to achieve and guarantee documentary reliability (completeness, reliability, and authenticity). In this way, the objective of this article is to incorporate the concepts of Digital Forensic Science in Archival Science, work that is being developed in international projects, mainly in the United States and Canada, taking advantage of the maturity of forensic studies in the digital domain. Integrating the two sciences in question is reflected in the forensic functions: identification, compilation, preservation, verification, analysis, and presentation. Along with archival functions: creation/production, evaluation, classification, description, dissemination, preservation, and acquisition. For this, the methodology used is based on the scientific literature of national and international research in progress, which allows us to visualize both the convergences and the divergences of the forensic phases or steps, as well as the archival functions. The results pointed to the possibility of linking the functions of both sciences, reflecting, however, on some concepts that need to be better defined, in the search to establish a Forensic-Archival Science. The conclusion of this article is based on the need to continue delving into national studies, to delimit the elements and concepts that contribute to archival studies in digital reality.