Preliminary investigation in Russia: retrospective view

The article deals with the formation and development in Russia of such a procedural institute as a preliminary investigation. Due to the recently proposed ideas on reformation of the investigation, retrospective view on the formation of the investigating authorities, the emergence of an institution of investigating officers, peculiarities of their procedural status, authority, organization of interaction with the prosecutors and the police have become particularly important. There is no doubt that historical research of emergence and formation of any legal institution help to better understand its purpose, its place within the legal system, and the efficiency of operation. A new era in the Russian criminal trial began with the reforms of 1860-1864, the main gains are reflected in the Charter of the criminal proceedings. The analysis of its provisions leads to the conclusion that Russia established a mixed type of criminal proceedings with prevalence of investigative-search features of the preliminary investigation and controversial in the trial stage. The article provides comprehensive analysis of procedural powers of the investigating judge contained in"Establishment of investigators" and"Mandate for judicial investigators" signed by Alexander II on June 8, 1960. It is emphasized that despite the fact that the investigating officer's activity was treated as accusatory, the investigator was required to impartially find out the incriminating circumstances, and the circumstances justifying the accused; the purpose of his activity determined the establishment of the material truth with respect to the offense. In 1894, a special commission was set up to summarize the experience of the organization and the results of the preliminary investigation, to identify shortcomings and to develop proposals to improve it It was found that the alleged procedural autonomy and independence of judicial investigators actually were not achieved, the quality of the investigation often did not meet the requirements, the period of investigation took too long, which was largely explained by a substantial burden on the investigator (he typically investigated 20-40 cases simultaneously). As a result of attempts to conduct historical analysis on the results of the carried out reforms of the investigation activities in Russia in the middle of the XIX century and suggestions to return to the concept of investigating officers in present time, the author notes that the reform of the investigation must be based on the current financial situation in the state, staff of both investigative and judiciary bodies, national traditions, mentality, the level of legal awareness of the population and law enforcement officials. The author believes that the improvement of the organization and production of the preliminary investigation should be carried out by solving the legal problems of strengthening of material base of the investigating authorities, comprehensive work to increase the prestige and importance of the position of an investigator, the development in his sense of dignity and respect for the profession and self-respect in the profession, cultivation of interconnectedness with those who stood at the origins of the process of investigation Russia To achieve these, it is important to strengthen in every way created in 2011 specialized investigative body - the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, a brand new office, which is directly subordinate to the head of state. After major's investigating offices of the18 century, specialized independent investigative bodies are created in Russia, which, to some extent, hold the features of the national historical tradition

creation, reform of the investigating authorities, criminal procedure legislation, judicial investigator, Charter of the criminal proceedings, Establishment of forensic investigators, the powers and procedural status, the prosecutor, the police, the court, shortcomings of an investigation

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