刑事诉讼中人脸识别证据探究

Research on facial recognition evidence in criminal proceedings

伴随科技发展和人类认识水平的提升,人脸识别证据已被运用于刑事审判当中。人脸识别证据可以在提高证明效率、降低证明难度和强化指控体系方面发挥重要作用,但实践中,人脸识别证据的运用仍存在法律资格不明、运用方式混乱、不规范等问题。集中体现在:将人脸识别证据作为涉案线索使用,弱化了其证明价值,抑制了辩方质证;将人脸识别证据归入现有法定证据种类之中,掩盖了其特殊性,证据审查规则亦难以兼容;将人脸识别证据列为其他证据材料,导致其法律地位被质疑和法庭信赖偏向。人脸识别证据具备实质性和证明性因而当属证据,由于其并非自始不具备证据可接受性,因而可享有证据资格以进入法庭使用。为消解其法律地位疑惑、保障其规范合理适用、弥合技术与司法冲突,一方面应在规范层面修改法定证据种类的表述方式以破解于法无据问题;另一方面应从法庭准入资格审查、定案根据资格审查以及辩方质证机制构建层面保障其使用规范。

With the development of science and technology and the improvement of human cognitive abilities,facial recognition evidence has been used in criminal trials.Facial recognition evidence can play an important role in improving the efficiency of proof,reducing the difficulty of proof,and strengthening the prosecution system.However,in practice,the use of facial recognition evidence encounters problems,such as unclear legal qualifications,confused application,and the lack of standard.The problems are mainly reflected in the following aspects:the practice of using facial recognition evidence as a clue to the case weakens its evidentiary value and suppresses the defense counsel's cross-examination;the practice of classifying facial recognition evidence into the existing legal evidence forms hides its particularity and renders the evidence examination rules hard to apply compatibly;the practice of listing facial recognition evidence as other evidence material renders its legal status being questioned and the court being biased.Facial recognition evidence satisfies both materiality test and tendency test,so it should be evidence.Since facial recognition evidence is not inadmissible from the very beginning,it is qualified evidence which could be used in the court.To dispel doubts about facial recognition evidence's legal status,ensure the use of facial recognition evidence to be used reasonably and legally,and bridge the gap between technology and judicature,on the one hand,from the perspective of legislation,the types of legal evidence should be modified to solve the problem of no legal basis for facial recognition evidence's admissibility;on the other hand,from the perspectives of the qualification examination on its admissibility,the qualification examination on its use as the basis of the verdict and the construction of the defense counsel's cross-examination mechanism,relevant rules should be improved to ensure facial recognition evidence is legally used.