Dispositivity in the criminal and environmental law: some theoretical and applied aspects

Abstract

Criminal law is traditionally viewed as a branch of public law. Until recently, the category of “dispositivity” in the Russian theory of criminal law had not even been considered. However, it is argued that the development and reflection of dispositivity fundamentals in the criminal law shows the level of protection of law-abiding citizens and also serves as an indicator of activity of legal subjects in the field of criminal justice. The article attempts to define the concept of dispositivity in Criminal law, and explore its theoretical and applied aspects through conceptual (political and legal) and instrumental approaches. As a part of the conceptual (political and legal) approach dispositivity is treated as the common grounds of the field of legal regulation. As a part of the instrumental approach dispositivity is regarded as a method of legal regulation, property legal norms, as well as the mode of legal regulation. From the point of legal methodology we can speak of dispositivity in the Russian criminal law, since there are no «pure» or distinct fields of private or public law. Simultaneously with the imperative method of legal regulation, there may be the legal grounds for the dispositive legal regulation, and vice versa. The article also examines such manifestations of dispositivity in the Russian criminal law as self-defense, detention of the offender, a reasonable risk, reconciliation, prosecution at the request of a commercial organization or with its consent, the consent of a person to commit action which can present a risk of HIV infection, the consent of the victim to enter into marriage with the defendant.