UNIVERSAL APPROACHES TO DETECTING AND INVESTIGATING CRIMINAL OFFENSES: “FROM CRIMINAL TO CRIME” AND “FROM CRIME TO CRIMINAL”

- Gorbanov I. ., Prodanets N. . Universal approaches to detecting and investigating criminal offenses: "from criminal to crime" and "from crime to criminal"The article examines two universal approaches to the detection and investigation of criminal offenses -"from crime to criminal" and "from criminal to crime".Their methodological, legal and forensic nature is substantiated, the areas of appropriate application of each of them are analyzed, taking into account modern challenges in the field of combating crime.The "from crime to criminal" approach is defined as a classical model of evidentiary activity, which involves the gradual clarification of the identity of the offender by studying the objective traces of the crime.The paper characterizes the epistemological nature of the specified method as a tool that combines empirical data, logical deduction, elements of forensic profiling and structural-analytical approaches.Its effectiveness is associated with formality, procedural integrity and reliance on the forensic theory of reflection.In contrast, the "criminal-to-crime" approach is proactive, focuses on the individual as a potential subject of crime, is based on operational-detective and analytical tools, and is effective in exposing serial, organized, or latent crime.It is noted that the effectiveness of the method depends on the depth of analysis, the systematicity of logical transitions, the use of forensic accounting, digital tools, and specialized knowledge.The article contains a comparative analysis of the advantages and risks of both approaches and formulates practical recommendations for their choice in specific investigative situations.It emphasizes that the aforementioned methods are not mutually exclusive, but on the contrary -in investigative practice they are often effectively combined, complementing each other depending on the initial situation.The conclusion is made about the need for a comprehensive, balanced use of both approaches, taking into account the nature of the crime, available evidence, and operational information.