On some aspects of detection and investigation of crimes committed against the sexual freedom and inviolability of minors

Abstract

Introduction. The article is devoted to some problematic issues that arise in the practice of investigating crimes committed against sexual freedom and inviolability of minors (rape, sexual violence, lewd acts, sexual intercourse and other acts of sexual nature with a person under the age of sixteen). The criminalistic characteristics of crimes are given, special attention is paid to the characteristics of the offender and the victim, the methods of committing crimes, the mechanism of trace formation. Typical investigative situations that develop at the initial stage are revealed, the specifics of initiating a criminal case and organising an investigation are revealed, criminal and criminal procedure legislation is analysed. Methods. The methodological basis was the system of scientific research methods used, based on the universal dialectical method, the use of which determines the choice of systemic, activity-based, functional and interdisciplinary approaches in the study of the personality of the offender and the victim in cases of crimes against sexual freedom and inviolability of minors and the totality of its properties and qualities as an integral object. In addition, when studying the mechanism of crime and the investigator’s search and cognitive activity, historical, formal-logical, statistical, sociological, comparativelegal, and modeling methods were used. Results. The most problematic aspects of obtaining significant criminalistic information as a result of verbal investigative actions have been identified, recommendations have been developed to overcome possible opposition from suspected defendants, as well as legal representatives of the victim; the legal positions of judicial authorities and law enforcement practice have been analysed; algorithms for the investigator’s actions in identified problematic situations have been formed. The provisions are substantiated that a minor as a subject of criminal proceedings has a number of characteristics of a demographic, socio-role and moral-psychological nature, which determine the peculiarities of perception, memorisation, analysis and reproduction of significant criminalistic information about the act committed against them. The conclusion is reasoned that special attention should be paid to the tactics of interrogation of victims, which is limited by the current criminal procedural requirements and is characterised by short-termism, one-time nature, and the list of participants. The importance of the results of this investigative action is justified by the prevalence of the results of interrogations in the evidence base for this category of crimes, because due to the postponement of the crime from the beginning of the investigation, the search for other traces, as well as the production of experimental and search investigative actions is significantly complicated.