CURRENT ISSUES OF FORENSIC PROVISION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS IN RELATION TO MINORS

Abstract

Abstract. Criminal proceedings against minors have features that distinguish them from the general procedure determined by criminal procedural legislation. The implementation of criminal proceedings with the participation of minors (according to their procedural status - suspect (accused), witness or victim) is accompanied by additional issues of regulating the criminal procedural form, procedural guarantees for ensuring their legitimate rights, freedoms and interests, the features of conducting procedural actions with the participation of minors and obtaining forensically significant information from them. Currently, in connection with the processes of bringing domestic criminal procedural legislation and law enforcement practice to high democratic international and European standards, the process of criminal proceedings against minors is undergoing constant changes and improvements, which requires careful research attention. One of the areas of such improvement is the development of a system of forensic support for criminal proceedings against minors. After all, the actual forensic support is aimed at increasing the efficiency of criminal investigation activities, rapid and complete achievement of the objectives of criminal proceedings. The issue of forensic support of criminal proceedings against minors, taking into account its multifaceted nature, has been considered from different angles, in accordance with its regulatory and legal consolidation, theoretical interpretation and practical expression. It is emphasized that the forensic support of criminal proceedings against minors should be based on the key principles of criminal proceedings; take into account the peculiarities of criminal proceedings against minors as its special participants with a specific legal status, which provides for additional guarantees for ensuring the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of minors. The actual forensic support is a condition for the efficiency of investigation, trial and achievement of the objectives of criminal proceedings; should take into account the peculiarities of forensic support of criminal proceedings against minors in accordance with the main forms of implementation: technical-forensic, tactical-forensic and methodological-forensic. An important aspect is that the system of forensic support of criminal proceedings against minors is implemented both during the pre-trial investigation and the trial, which requires further scientific exploration of the issues and thorough empirical research.

Keywords: criminal offense; pre-trial investigation; child; legal status; forensic technique; forensic tactics, forensic methodology.