DOCTRINAL APPROACHES TO THE CONCEPT AND ESSENCE OF THE FORENSIC CHARACTERIZATION OF CRIMINAL OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONAL LIBERTY, HONOR, AND DIGNITY

Abstract

The article examines doctrinal approaches to the concept and essence of forensic characterization as a key element of forensic methodology for the investigation of criminal offenses against personal liberty, honor, and dignity. It is substantiated that qualitative changes in the criminogenic situation and the growth of violent and organized crime necessitate the improvement of scientific and methodological foundations of pre-trial investigation of this category of criminal offenses. The study analyzes scholarly approaches of Ukrainian forensic scientists to determining the place, significance, and structure of forensic characterization, reveals its information-cognitive nature and functional purpose within the mechanism of counteracting criminal unlawfulness. It is proved that forensic characterization performs a system-forming role within the methodology, ensuring the integration of theoretical provisions of forensic science with the practical needs of investigative activity, guiding the process of formulating and verifying investigative hypotheses, as well as planning and implementing procedural and tactical decisions. Particular attention is paid to the problem of insufficient coherence between the elements of traditional investigation methodologies and the lack of proper integration of forensic characterization data into practical recommendations. The expediency of considering the forensic characterization of crimes against personal liberty, honor, and dignity as a multilevel information model is substantiated; such a model reflects both the typical patterns of criminal activity and the specific features of their manifestation in a particular criminal proceeding. It is concluded that further development of the doctrine of forensic characterization should be aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of investigation methodologies and ensuring the practical efficiency of pre-trial investigation bodies.