Databases in the investigation of household armed robberies: Challenges and ways of improvement

Abstract

Amidst the full-scale war in Ukraine, an increase in the number of crimes against property involving weapons, characterised by suddenness, brutality, and aggressiveness, has occurred. Such crimes violate not only the inviolability of housing and property rights but also harm the health and lives of victims. In this regard, the study aims to examine the possibilities of using automated information retrieval systems of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Police of Ukraine in the investigation of robberies involving the use of weapons. The following methods were used in the course of the study: comparative legal, analytical, systemic, and structural, generalisation, induction, deduction, and synthesis. These methods were used to analyse the world experience of databases of automated information retrieval systems to improve the investigation of robberies involving the use of weapons against citizensʼ homes. Based on this, the most progressive and effective methods of investigating this category of criminal offences are identified, proposals for improving national practice are formulated, and an indicative set of parameters for typical actions during such robberies is developed. The author proposes to improve information and analytical systems by filling in new databases of serious crimes committed with the use of weapons, which will facilitate ease of use and efficiency of their investigation. The development of such a database provides for the possibility of updating and collecting information based on specified requests. The content parameters are determined by the ability to collect information on criminals, the forensic traces that identify them, behavioural traces (use of a type or types of weapons, home invasion tools, nature of bodily harm, features of disguise, etc. The practical value of the study lies in the possibility of considering theoretical recommendations when creating databases that will ensure the completeness, efficiency and convenience of obtaining the necessary information for the effective investigation of robberies involving the use of weapons