Global Research Trends in Policing, Cybercrime, And Digital Forensics: A Bibliometric Perspective

In an era marked by rapidly evolving security threats, technological innovation, and increasing reliance on digital infrastructure, research on policing, digital forensics, and cybercrime has emerged as a critically important and rapidly developing field. This multidisciplinary domain intersects law enforcement, computer science, psychology, and organizational studies, reflecting both technological advancements and evolving societal needs. The significance of this research is evidenced by the steady increase in scholarly attention, as captured in this bibliometric analysis covering the period from 2016 to 2025. The analysis includes 631 documents published across 137 sources, indicating a moderate but consistent annual growth rate of 1.87% and an average of 10.84 citations per document—suggesting increasing academic relevance and citation impact over time. Notably, scientific production peaked in 2024, potentially marking a culmination of prior research efforts and the emergence of high-impact publications, while the sharp decline in 2025 can be attributed to citation lag and data cutoff.