Instituto de Estudios Políticos y Derecho Público "Dr. Humberto J. La Roche"
de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas de la Universidad del Zulia
Maracaibo, Venezuela
Esta publicación cientíca en formato digital es continuidad de la revista impresa
ISSN-Versión Impresa 0798-1406 / ISSN-Versión on line 2542-3185Depósito legal pp
197402ZU34
ppi 201502ZU4645
Vol.39 N° 70
2021
Recibido el 06/07/2021 Aceptado el 28/08/2021
ISSN 0798- 1406 ~ De pó si to le gal pp 198502ZU132
Cues tio nes Po lí ti cas
La re vis ta Cues tio nes Po lí ti cas, es una pu bli ca ción aus pi cia da por el Ins ti tu to
de Es tu dios Po lí ti cos y De re cho Pú bli co “Dr. Hum ber to J. La Ro che” (IEPDP) de la Fa-
cul tad de Cien cias Ju rí di cas y Po lí ti cas de la Uni ver si dad del Zu lia.
En tre sus ob je ti vos fi gu ran: con tri buir con el pro gre so cien tí fi co de las Cien cias
Hu ma nas y So cia les, a tra vés de la di vul ga ción de los re sul ta dos lo gra dos por sus in ves-
ti ga do res; es ti mu lar la in ves ti ga ción en es tas áreas del sa ber; y pro pi ciar la pre sen ta-
ción, dis cu sión y con fron ta ción de las ideas y avan ces cien tí fi cos con com pro mi so so cial.
Cues tio nes Po lí ti cas apa re ce dos ve ces al año y pu bli ca tra ba jos ori gi na les con
avan ces o re sul ta dos de in ves ti ga ción en las áreas de Cien cia Po lí ti ca y De re cho Pú bli-
co, los cua les son so me ti dos a la con si de ra ción de ár bi tros ca li fi ca dos.
ESTA PU BLI CA CIÓN APA RE CE RE SE ÑA DA, EN TRE OTROS ÍN DI CES, EN
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Re vicyhLUZ, In ter na tio nal Po li ti cal Scien ce Abs tracts, Re vis ta In ter ame ri ca na de
Bi blio gra fía, en el Cen tro La ti no ame ri ca no para el De sa rrol lo (CLAD), en Bi blio-
gra fía So cio Eco nó mi ca de Ve ne zue la de RE DIN SE, In ter na tio nal Bi blio graphy of
Po li ti cal Scien ce, Re vencyt, His pa nic Ame ri can Pe rio di cals In dex/HAPI), Ul ri ch’s
Pe rio di cals Di rec tory, EBS CO. Se en cuen tra acre di ta da al Re gis tro de Pu bli ca cio-
nes Cien tí fi cas y Tec no ló gi cas Ve ne zo la nas del FO NA CIT, La tin dex.
Di rec to ra
L
OIRALITH
M. C
HIRINOS
P
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Co mi té Edi tor
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An gel Lom bar di
Die ter Nohlen
Al fre do Ra mos Ji mé nez
Go ran Ther born
Frie drich Welsch
Asis ten tes Ad mi nis tra ti vos
Joan López Urdaneta y Nil da Ma rín
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cul tad de Cien cias Ju rí di cas y Po lí ti cas. Ins ti tu to de Es tu dios Po lí ti cos y De re cho Pú bli co
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Vol. 39, Nº 70 (2021), 598-606
IEPDP-Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas - LUZ
The concept of crime detection in Russian law
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46398/cuestpol.3970.35
Ivan Alexandrovich Zavyalov *
Taulan Osmanovich Boziev **
Nikolay Nikolaevich Bukharov ***
Alexandr Vladimirovich Shakhmatov ****
Nikolay Kazimirovich Pcholovsky *****
Abstract
The article examines the problem of determining the essence
of the concept of “crime detection” in Russian law. For this
purpose, the method of literature review was used and during
the study the authors analyzed the normative legal acts of the
Russian Federation, such as: the constitution of the Russian
Federation, the Criminal Code of the Federation, the Code of
Criminal Procedure and the Federal Law «on Operational Search
Activity», the Federal Law «on police forces”, interdepartmental
and departmental normative legal acts of the Ministry of Internal Aairs
of Russia, among others, to determine the precise moment of detection
of the crime phenomenon. Moreover, the article proposes to clarify the
denition of the term “crime detection”. It is concluded that it is advisable
to distinguish the concepts of «crime detection» and other related concepts
in practice and theory to avoid confusion.
Keywords: operational search activity; criminalistics; criminal law;
criminal procedure; internal aairs bodies.
* Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Aairs of the Russian Federation named by V.YA. Kikot,
Moscow, Russia. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8877-9666. Email: zavyalov.i.a@bk.ru
** State Institute of Economics, Finance, Law and Technology, Gatchina, Russia; St. Petersburg State
University of the Interior Ministry of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia. ORCID ID: https://orcid.
org/0000-0003-4782-9118. Email: Taulan.Boziev@yandex.ru
*** St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Aairs of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia. ORCID
ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8138-205X. Email: bukharov.n.n@mail.ru
**** St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Aairs of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia; St.
Petersburg Academy of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4859-172X. Email: shakhmatov.a.v@mail.ru
***** St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Aairs of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia. ORCID
ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7506-5448. Email: pcholovsky.n.k@mail.ru
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CUESTIONES POLÍTICAS
Vol. 39 Nº 70 (2021): 598-606
El concepto de detección de delitos en la legislación rusa
Resumen
El artículo examina el problema de determinar la esencia del concepto de
“detección de delitos” en la legislación rusa. Para ello se utilizaron el método
de revisión de la literatura y durante el estudio los autores analizaron los
actos jurídicos normativos de la Federación de Rusia, como: la constitución
de la Federación de Rusia, el Código penal de la Federación, el Código de
Procedimiento Penal y la Ley Federal “sobre la Actividad de Búsqueda
Operativa”, la Ley Federal “sobre los cuerpos policiales”, actos jurídicos
normativos interdepartamentales y departamentales del Ministerio del
Interior de Rusia, entre otros, para determinar el momento preciso de la
detección del fenómeno delito. Por lo demás, en el artículo se propone
claricar la denición del término “detección de delitos”. Se concluye que
es aconsejable distinguir los conceptos de “detección de delitos” y otros
conceptos anes en la práctica y en la teoría para evitar confusiones.
Palabras Clave: actividad de búsqueda operativa; criminalística;
derecho penal; procedimiento criminal; órganos de
asuntos internos.
Introduction
In the practice of operational divisions of the internal aairs bodies of
the Russian Federation, the concept of “crime detection” is one of the key
ones (Thi Lan Hong et al., 2020). It is inextricably linked to the correct
denition of criteria for assigning crimes to the categories of solved and
unsolved, maintaining statistical reporting of the detection of crimes for
a certain period, solving problems when comparing the results of the
activities of various internal aairs agencies, their services, and divisions,
as well as individual operational employees (Ivanov et al., 2020a; 2020b;
Anyushina et al., 2021).
Understanding the essence of the term “crime detection” is extremely
important in the scientic aspect. Understanding the essence of
“operational investigative activity”, determining the relationship between
the concepts of “crime detection” and “investigation”, distinguishing “crime
detection” from “searching” etc. in turn, these concepts are the basis for
the development of general theories of operational investigative activity
and criminology, as well as private methods for identifying, preventing,
suppressing, and disclosing certain types of crimes.
The theories of operational investigative activity, criminalistics, criminal
procedure, and criminology contain numerous points of view about the
concept of “crime detection”, which are very dierent in their content and
often exclude each other.
600
Ivan Alexandrovich Zavyalov, Taulan Osmanovich Boziev, Nikolay Nikolaevich Bukharov,
Alexandr Vladimirovich Shakhmatov y Nikolay Kazimirovich Pcholovsky
The concept of crime detection in Russian law
In our opinion, the lack of unity in views here is due to the complexity
of the problem and the dierent approaches of individual authors to its
solution, with dierences in criteria and logical grounds for formulating
denitions.
The subject of discussion is usually:
• essence of crime detection as a social phenomenon.
• the scope of this concept.
• the moment when the crime can be considered solved.
• correlation of crime detection with criminal prosecution of a person
(Pushkarev et al., 2019).
All these issues are closely related to each other and depend on each
other.
1. The analysis of normative acts
In our opinion, it is advisable to start considering the essence of the
concept of “crime detection” by analyzing the normative legal acts of the
Russian Federation. The Constitution of the Russian Federation (1993) in
the Articles 20, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 63, 93, 98, 125 contains the word “crime”,
but the concept of “crime detection” in the Constitution is missing.
Federal Law No. 144-FZ “on Operational Search Activity” (August 12,
1995) in Article 2, denes the tasks and distinguishes: the identication,
prevention, suppression, and detection of crimes, as well as the identication
and identication of persons who are preparing, committing, or have
committed.
At the same time, the meaning of the term “crime detection” in this
normative legal act is absent. The Federal Law No. 3-FZ “on the Police”
(2011), in Article 2, which sets out the main areas of police activity, declares
one of them: identication and of crime, investigation of criminal cases
without revealing the content of this word.
The Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation 174-FZ
(December 18, 2001) in Article 5, which lists the main concepts used in the
Code, does not contain the term “detection of crimes”. However, hereinafter
referred to the Code, the concept of “crime detection” still occurs. In Article
317.1 Part 2, 317.5 Part 1, Item 1.2, 317.6, Part 2, Item 1, 317.7, Part 4, Item
1.2 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation, where we
are talking about a special procedure for making a court decision at the
conclusion of the pre-trial agreement on cooperation. This concept is
present, but also is not revealed its essence.
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CUESTIONES POLÍTICAS
Vol. 39 Nº 70 (2021): 598-606
The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation No. 63-FZ (June 13, 1996)
establishes the concept of “crime” in article 14, but does not tell us about
its detection, does not explain what “crime detection” is. In the text of
the criminal Law, we meet this concept, in particular, in Item “i”, Part 1
of Article 61 “Circumstances mitigating punishment”, Part 1 of Article 64
“Appointment of more soft punishment, than it is provided for this crime”,
Part 1 of Article 75 “Exemption from criminal liability in connection with
active repentance”. In the notes to Articles 110.2, 127.1, 178, 184, 200.5, 204,
204.1, 204.2, 205.3, 210, 212, 228, 228.3, 291, 291.1, 291.2, 322.2, 322.3 of
the criminal Code the term “crime detection” exists and it is mostly about
the active contribution to solving the crime by the person who committed
the crime for which there is a in one of the listed articles of the special part
of the criminal Code. However, the essence of the concept in question is not
disclosed.
Having studied the texts of the listed normative legal acts, we have not
found a denition of the concept of “crime detection” anywhere. However,
clarication of this concept, as we noted earlier is extremely important for
the theory and practice of operational and investigative activities.
There is the Interdepartmental order “on Unied Accounting of Crimes”
(Interdepartmental order No. 39/1070/1021/253/780/353/399, 2005).
The order regulates the current system of registration and accounting of
the crimes in the police, but also does not contain the concept of “detected
crime”, but Paragraph 2.11 of this order gives the concept of an “unsolved
crime”:
“Unsolved crime” is a crime, the criminal proceedings of which have
been suspended under Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Article 208 of the
Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation”.
In Section IV, “Registration of Persons Who Committed Crimes” of the
same Order, in Paragraph 41, the reasons for registering the person who
committed the crime are listed. These reasons are:
Indictment (act):
• a conviction in a private prosecution case that has entered into legal
force.
• a decision to refuse to institute criminal proceedings (on non-
rehabilitating grounds).
• decision to terminate a criminal case or criminal prosecution (on
non-rehabilitative grounds).
The Order of the Ministry of internal Aairs of Russia No. 356 “About
the Position statement about Appointment and Payment of Police
Remuneration for Assistance in Solving Crimes and Apprehending
602
Ivan Alexandrovich Zavyalov, Taulan Osmanovich Boziev, Nikolay Nikolaevich Bukharov,
Alexandr Vladimirovich Shakhmatov y Nikolay Kazimirovich Pcholovsky
The concept of crime detection in Russian law
Oenders” (June 6, 2018) in Article 11, establishes that “the remuneration
is paid to the citizen in case of a citizen initiative presenting them reliable
information during the placement of ads on the ocial website of the
Ministry of internal Aairs of Russia in the network “Internet”, which led
to the detection of crimes and the detention of those who committed them”.
Article 12 stipulates that a decision on payment of remuneration is
made after the arrest of persons for whom a reward has been declared, as
well as after the indictment of persons whose involvement in crimes has
been established by the information provided, or after one of the following
decisions has been made in a criminal case against the named persons:
1. On the termination of criminal case and (or) criminal prosecution
on the basis provided for in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Part one of Article
24 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation.
2. On the termination of a criminal case and (or) criminal prosecution
on the basis provided for in Paragraph 3 of Part one of Article 27 of
the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation”.
Thus, based on the analysis of interdepartmental and departmental
normative legal acts, we must assume that in the practice of law enforcement
agencies, the crime will be considered detected when the authorized ocial
takes into account the person who committed it in the relevant information
Center of the Ministry of internal Aairs, making the necessary card form
No. 2 (annex to the said Interdepartmental Order) for one of the listed
reasons.
The dictionary of the Russian Language interprets the word “detection”
as “discover, make known, explain (something secret, unknown, etc.)”
(Ozhegov, 1981).
2. Opinion of scientists
Understanding the essence of the concept of “crime detection” is
impossible without considering the opinions of scientists in the eld of law.
It should be noted that the question of when the crime can be considered
detected is debatable. Some authors consider that the detection of crime is
an establishment of a circle of circumstances to be proved in case; others
associate this concept with the establishment by proving the time, place,
method of committing a criminal act, the person who committed it, and
other circumstances relating to the crime; some lawyers believe that the
crime was solved with the establishment and exposing the criminal and
bringing him to justice; there is also an opinion that the crime can be
considered fully disclosed with the entry of the court verdict into force or
after the decision to terminate the criminal case is made.
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CUESTIONES POLÍTICAS
Vol. 39 Nº 70 (2021): 598-606
There are other points of view. Such a spread of opinions about the
essence of the concept of “crime detection” indicates that this category is
not suciently developed theoretically.
R.S. Belkin expressed the most complete and comprehensive opinion on
this issue in his textbook “Course of criminology”. In his opinion there are
the following positions:
1. “Crime detection” — is the concept of operational search means the
oender has been found. Everything else rather characterizes the
stage of crime’s investigation but not its detection, because it has
already been solved (the oender has been found).
2. “Crime detection” — is the establishment of data about the crime
and the perpetrator of its commission in such a volume that allows
to bring charges. The moment of detection is linked to the moment
when the charge is ordered.
3. “Crime detection” - is the establishment of all proof subject’s
circumstances, which are the basis for completing the preliminary
investigation and drawing up an indictment.
4. “Crime detection” - is the entire process of proceeding in a case that
ends with a court sentence’s entry into force: a crime is disclosed
for when the case verdict has entered into legal force (Belkin, 2001:
275).
The opinion of A.Yu. Shumilov deserves attention. In his comments to
the federal law
On operative-search activities” he denes “crime detection” as “the activities
authorized by the law of the subject (operative, etc.), aimed at obtaining data that
may lead a reasonable operational version about commission of a specic crime by
a specic person, after excluding all other versions will be checked and rejected”
(Shumilov, 2003: 18).
As noted earlier, scientists in law have dierent approaches to the
“crime detection” denition especially if they represent dierent sciences
(operational investigative activities, criminology, criminal law, criminal
procedure). Therefore, it is dicult to formulate a general concept for all
lawyers comparing their approaches.
Thus, if make direct sense of part 1 of article 49 of the Constitution (The
Constitution of the Russian Federation adopted by popular vote December
12.1993), which guarantees that “everyone charged with a criminal oence
will be presumed innocent until his guilt is proved as provided by federal
law and established by a legally eective court decision”, we can conclude
completeness “crime detection” the sentence comes into legal force.
604
Ivan Alexandrovich Zavyalov, Taulan Osmanovich Boziev, Nikolay Nikolaevich Bukharov,
Alexandr Vladimirovich Shakhmatov y Nikolay Kazimirovich Pcholovsky
The concept of crime detection in Russian law
Solving crimes, which consists in identifying the person who committed
the crime, in detaining him, processing, and proving his guilt, as well as
in ensuring the trial of a criminal case until the court’s verdict enters into
force are most fully reect law enforcement agencies’ activities (Tatunts
and Ponamareva, 2021).
However, this approach is not fully applicable for practical divisions of
internal aairs bodies’ activities. Thus, in practice and when the accused
person took an active part when applying the criminal law rules that we
announced earlier and related to the mitigation of punishment or release
from punishment, we would have to wait for the sentence to enter into force
in a criminal case. The terms of criminal proceedings must be reasonable
(Article 6.1 of the “Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation”
(December 18, 2001)), which clearly will not be facilitated by waiting for
the entry of the sentence into legal force.
In addition, this interpretation of the “crime detection” will not allow
to quickly and accurately compile and analyze statistics in practice. Such
statistics is necessary for rapid action to counter a specic type of crime
in a particular area or the Russian federation subject, will not allow the
territorial bodies’ heads of internal aairs to identify problem areas and
respond quickly respond to them.
Conclusion
We oer to leave the term “Crime detection” in theory of law, because, as
we have shown earlier, it mostly complies sense and spirit of Part 1 of Article
49 of the Constitution. For practitioners of law enforcement, it would be
better to use the phrase “establishment and detention of person (s) who
committed the crime”. By the way this phrase already applies in mentioned
the Interdepartmental order “On Unied Accounting of Crimes” (General
Prosecutors oce of Russia, the Ministry of Internal Aairs of Russia,
the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, the Ministry of Justice of
Russia, the Federal Security Service of Russia, the Ministry of Economic
Development of Russia, the Federal Drug Control Service of Russia, 2005).
We understand that such a proposal would entail the need for changes
in such basic normative legal acts in the eld of combating crime, such as
penal code, criminal procedure code and the law “On Operational Search
Activities”, but it must be done in order to avoid confusion and improve
enforcement.
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Vol.39 Nº Especial