Methodology of Investigation of Crimes Committed Against Minors

Abstract

The subject of this study is the specifics of the investigation of crimes in which the victim was a minor. Taking into account the provisions of Russian legislation, political and legal documents, according to which children are the most important priority of state policy, in their study the authors tried to reveal the importance of a qualitative approach in the investigation of crimes in which the victims are representatives of one of the most vulnerable categories of the population in our state. Special attention is paid to the age and, as a consequence, the psychophysical and personal characteristics of minors as determinants of the latter's insecurity. At the same time, the features of modern post-industrial society characterized by the spread of the Internet space to the daily activities of minors have guided researchers in developing recommendations for preliminary investigation bodies related to the search, receipt and use of information distributed through the Internet network during the investigation. The main conclusions of the study are that the methodology of investigating crimes committed against minors is significantly different from other private methods of investigation by the elements of crimes, since its creation is based on the characteristics of the object of criminal encroachment. At the same time, age is a defining feature. In turn, the specifics of the methodological recommendations should proceed from the level of development of the information society, which makes it possible to use the features of digital relationships in the investigation of crimes, the victims of which are minors. The contribution of the authors to the study of the topic is not only the preparation of practice-oriented recommendations for investigators and inquirers (for example, on issues subject to mandatory clarification during the investigation, the need to study the identity of the injured minor through the analysis of publicly available information), but also the nomination of some proposals to improve the activities of prevention agencies and the measures they take (in particular, to identify minors who have a tendency to suicidal behavior through the joint development of monitoring programs for the activity of minors in the Internet space).