Involvement of Minors in the Commission of Several Crimes: Issues of Qualification in Light of the Federal Law of May 29, 2024 No. 111-FZ.

The presented study analyzes the content of Article 150 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for criminal liability for involving minors in committing crimes. It was determined that initially the qualifying features of this norm included the commission of the said act: a) by a teacher, parent or person who is legally responsible for the upbringing of a minor (Part 2 of Article 150 of the Criminal Code); b) with the use of violence or the threat of its use (Part 3 of Article 150 of the Criminal Code); c) associated with involvement in the commission of a grave or especially grave crime (Part 4 of Article 150 of the Criminal Code). Later, Part 4 of Article 150 of the Criminal Code was supplemented with such features as "involving a minor in a criminal group" and "commission of a crime motivated by ideological, political, racial, religious or national hatred or enmity, or motivated by hatred or enmity towards any social group." However, modern challenges have led to another change in this norm. Federal Law No. 111-FZ of May 29, 2024 "On Amending Article 150 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation" supplemented Part 4 of Article 150 with a new paragraph "c", providing for punishment for involving a minor in committing three or more crimes of minor and (or) moderate severity. An analysis of law enforcement practice, opinions of modern scientists and the explanatory note to bill No. 512731-8 "On Amending Article 150 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation" showed that the introduction of this qualifying feature is due to the need to strengthen counteraction to the involvement of minors not just in criminal, but in professional criminal activity. In order to increase the law enforcement potential of this norm, it is proposed to toughen the liability for involving a minor in the commission of three or more identical and/or similar crimes of minor and/or moderate severity, and also to provide official clarifications on the procedure for applying paragraph “c” of Part 4 of Article 150 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.