Law/5. Criminal law and criminology

 

K. Yu. N. Zhadan V. N.
Kazan Federal University, Elabuga Institute, Russia

THE QUESTION OF THE PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION CRIME

IN RUSSIA

 

In the legal literature the analysis of criminological and criminal-legal characteristics of corruption crime in the Russian Federation [1] (hereinafter – the RF, Russia) subject of many publications. At the same time the relevance of the questions about corruption-related crimes is not decreasing, and therefore the subject of this research there are some issues on the prevention of corruption crime in Russia.

As is well known in many countries corruption in government and economic activities is one of the urgent problems. The impact of corruption in these countries has grown so much and continues to grow, which, in some cases, it reached alarming proportions and comparable with a large part of the state budget of the countries.

In turn, the globalized world has led to the fact that corruption in one country can adversely affect the development of other countries. Given the menacing nature of corruption and its importance for the international community since the second half of the twentieth century corruption has become an international problem [2, p. 14]. At the General Assembly of the United Nations (hereinafter – UN) 16.12.1996 has the city approved the "Declaration of the United Nations on the fight against corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions" [3] and G. 31.10.2003 adopted the UN Convention against corruption and established the international day against corruption (9 December) [4]. The Council of Europe also adopted international legal acts on the fight against corruption – the Convention on laundering, search, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds from crime (8.11.1990) [5], the criminal law Convention on corruption (27.01.1999) [6] etc.

Russia, by international and domestic expert estimates refers to the number of countries with "high" level of corruption in public administration and economic activities.

On the basis of the UN Convention against corruption, the Council of Europe Convention on criminal liability for corruption in Russia not only confirmed the cooperation in the international fight against corruption, as evidenced by the ratification of the Conventions, but new laws (e.g. Federal law of 25.12.2008 ¹ 273-FZ "On combating corruption" (hereinafter – FZ "On combating corruption") [7], Federal law of 03.12.2012 ¹ 230-FZ "On control over compliance costs of persons holding public office and other persons to their income" [8] etc.), presidential Decrees (e.g. the decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 19.05.2008 ¹ 815 "About measures on corruption counteraction" [9], the decree of the President of the Russian Federation from 11.04.2014 ¹ 226 "On the national anti-corruption plan for 2014-2015" [10], etc.) and other normative legal acts on combating corruption.

So, in FZ "On combating corruption" [7] defines the main concepts, legal basis, principles, the characteristic of the activities for countering corruption and the responsibility of individuals and legal entities for corruption offences. In subparagraph "a" of clause 1 of article 1 of the Federal law "On combating corruption" provides a definition of corruption – abuse of official position, bribery, receiving a bribe, abuse of authority, commercial bribery or other illegal use by a physical person of his official position contrary to legitimate interests of society and the state in order to obtain benefits in the form of money, valuables, other property or services of property character, other property rights for itself or for third parties or illegal provision of such benefits specified person other physical persons; and also committing the mentioned actions on behalf or in interests of the legal entity [7].

The Criminal code of the Russian Federation [11] (hereinafter – CC RF) there is no crime called corruption (corruption). At the same time, the anti-corruption provisions are provided for in the criminal code in Chapter 30 "Crimes against state authority, interests of state service and service in local governments" officials and related other crimes – abuse of official powers (article 285 of the criminal code), taking bribes (article 290 of the criminal code), bribery (article 291 of the criminal code), petty bribery (article 291.2 of the criminal code), forgery (article 292 of the criminal code); in Chapter 23 "Crimes against interests of service in commercial and other organizations" – abuse of power (article 201 of the criminal code), commercial bribery (article 204 of the criminal code), etc. anti-corruption provisions exist in other Chapter of the criminal code.

Thus, to corruption offences should include a wide enough circle of socially dangerous acts classified under various articles of the criminal code of the Russian Federation. Thus criminal-legal analysis of corruption-related crimes requires a separate study.

In literature is given quite a lot of scientific concepts of corruption. In General terms, the corruption is understood under the criminal law a socially dangerous act involving the unlawful use by a person of his official position or unlawful provision of benefits to a person having a public status, committed with direct intent and the purpose of obtaining benefits for himself or others. Consequently, corruption and crime is the aggregate of corruption offences committed by individuals over time and in a particular area.

In the science of criminology criminological characteristics of certain types of crime, including corruption offences, includes the following elements: 1) the status, dynamics, proportion, structure, level of latency, etc. of this type of crime and its separate groups; 2) the causes and conditions conducive to the Commission of crimes; 3) criminological characteristics of offender; 4) prevention and prevention of crimes.

According to official statistics in Russia for 2015 was just 2388,5 thousand crimes, including corruption crimes 32455 (-0.1%) and the proportion of these crimes in the total number amounted to 1.4% [12]. At the same time in 2010 it was 2628,8 thousand crimes, from them – 59283 corruption crimes, the specific gravity of the crimes in this category is 2.3% [13]. From these data it follows that for 2015 in comparison with 2010 was registered at 26828 corruption-related offences, which is almost 2 times less.

Criminal situation in Russia shows that in recent years, according to official data there is a downward trend of registered crimes in General and corruption in particular. However, according to expert estimates in the official statistics reflects only one-fifth (or tenth) of the committed crimes in this category. All this creates a distrust of citizens to the activities of public authorities and law enforcement agencies.

This is confirmed by public opinion about the extent of corruption in Russia. Over 60% of respondents in opinion polls attribute the corruption to the problems that threaten the national security of the Russian Federation and over 70% agree with the statement that Russia can be ranked among the corrupt countries [14].

The author adopts a scientific approach that the problem of corruption in Russia is not so much a criminological and criminal law, and more socio-political. It is obvious that the corruption strategy should focus on the legal, economic, social, psychological, moral and political action. To eliminate corruption, as any other social evil of the same level, having strong roots in economic, political, social, and psychological foundations of Russian society, it is impossible. Currently, we talking about a significant reduction in the extent of corruption in public administration and economic activity, "putting it into a civilized framework," the protection of the population against various forms of corruption, including widespread extortion at all levels – from the ordinary worker offices, police and representatives of state, regional and local authorities.

At the same time, as the materials in the mass media (hereinafter – mass media) and materials of law-enforcement practice in recent years, the subject of the investigation become criminal cases at public high-profile corruption crimes (for example, in 2016, are investigated: the case of the smuggling of alcohol and related abuse of authority of officials of the Federal customs service of Russia; the case of the Governor of the Kirov region N. White, who is accused of receiving a bribe of 400 thousand Euro; the case of the Deputy Director of Spetsstroy A. Buryakov, accused of fraud-embezzlement of 450 million roubles; the case of the managers of the Investigative Committee of Russia (further – SK Russian), in which detained the Deputy head of the Main investigatory management SK of Russia across Moscow Dmitry Nikandrov, head of the own security service of SK M. Maksimenko and his Deputy A. Limonov, who are accused of abuse of authority and taking bribes from representatives of the criminal community; the case of the mayor of Vladivostok I. Pushkarev, accused of abuse of office and commercial bribery worth more than 160 million. rubles; D. Zakharchenko, the acting head of Department "T" of the Main Directorate of economic security and counteraction to corruption Ministry of internal Affairs of Russia, accused of abuse of authority and receiving a bribe of 7 million rubles during a search in one of his apartments was discovered 9 billion, and about 22 billion were found in offshore accounts belonging to the father of the accused; the Federal Minister A. Ulyukayev, accused of extortion and receiving a bribe in 2 million Euro, etc.). This amount caused by the corrupt damage is calculated billions of digits, and corruption are not isolated.

Therefore, based on existing and normative legal acts and programmes on anti-corruption at Federal, regional and local levels, define their forms and methods, objects and subjects, terms, etc., we need a consistent and purposeful struggle with this socio-legal evil, as well as the necessary political will of the leadership of the country and regions in a permanent and effective fight against corruption. As noted by experts, "no command to start it, and without it the activity would not be realized, as will inevitably be affected the interests of the rich and influential people" [15].

The author adopts a scientific approach that in recent time there is a political will of the government on a consistent struggle against corruption at all levels of government, as General principles of anti-corruption need to eliminate corruption as means of formation and development of new social relations, create social supports market relations, and combat the legalization (laundering) of criminal and augmentation of capital [16].

While special measures to prevent corruption and corruption-related offences are referred to as [16]: setting a high maintenance employee, which is able to provide them and their families a decent standard of living; increased control over revenues and expenditures of state and other categories of employees, personnel policy; security of persons (and their families) engaged in the fight against corruption, corruption crimes; introduction of official use of the state apartments of the mansions provided in connection with the occupation of public office; manufacturing of all payments from the budget system of the Russian Federation only on the basis of law, etc.

According to the author, should amend the criminal law in terms of adequate liability for corruption offences (for example, first to penalties must include the deprivation of liberty with penalty, and then a separate penalty, terms of imprisonment increased, mandatory confiscation of property as a special criminal-legal measures to convicted corrupt officials).

In turn, the organization of struggle against corruption crimes needs to be based on [16]: a constant analysis of changes in corruption and its causes; the monitoring of corruption-related crimes in General and their separate types; anti-corruption education, education and propaganda; determining the strategy and tactics of fight against corruption taking into account the real socio-economic, political conditions of social consciousness, the law enforcement system; the basis of legislation and not secondary legislation; conducting anti-corruption expertise of normative legal acts and their drafts; the development of integrated and targeted anti-corruption programs in the Russian Federation and its subjects, controlling their implementation; monitoring of anti-corruption normative legal acts and programmes, the use of foreign experience; specialized training and the creation of law enforcement special service (e.g., Federal service for combating corruption); the rotation of public employees (moving them inside the structure), which allows to reduce interpersonal connection and destroy a group of professional solidarity; using the help of various civil society institutions and population; government support for the establishment and functioning of anti-corruption NGOs; the publication of reports on the implementation of anti-corruption policy measures and programmes; a systematic evaluation and adjustment of measures, etc.

Thus, on the basis of international legal acts, analysis of Russian legislation in the field of combating corruption, official statistics, media material and scientific approaches of corruption crimes, as well as the author's understanding of the article discusses on the prevention of corruption crime in Russia.

 

Literature:

1. See: Volkov K. A. Criminal-legal problems of counteraction to corruption crimes // Russian investigator. – 2011. – N 15. – P. 5-9; Gusev P. Y. Constitutional basis of counteraction of corruption in Russia // the Constitutional and municipal law. – 2009. – N 12. – P. 9-12; Yedelev A. L. Corruption as a systemic threat to the stability and economic security of the Russian Federation // Migration law. – 2009. – N 2. – P. 29-32; Zhadan V. N. About corruption and criminological characteristics of corruption crimes // the Young scientist. – 2015. – N 5. – P. 345-351; Strelnikov K. A. implementation of the Federal law "On combating corruption" // the Legal world. – 2009. – N 3. – P. 24-26; A. Gumerov Timur, Vladimir N. Zhadan and Iskandar G. Mukhametgaliyev. On Criminological Aspects of Corruption-Related Criminal Activity in Russia // The Social Sciences, 10 (7): 1807-1811, 2015.

2. Corruption: the main trends of resistance. The collective monograph; [edited by L. A. Andreeva]. – Novosibirsk: Izd. "Sibak", 2015. – 196 p.

3. Declaration United Nations on the fight against corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions (resolution 51/191, adopted by the General Assembly, dated 16.12.1996 has). URL: http://www.un.org/ru/documents/decl_conv/declarations/bribery.shtml

4. The Convention of United Nations against corruption (adopted by General Assembly resolution 58/4 dated 31.10.2003). URL: http://www.un.org/ru/documents/decl_conv/conventions/corruption.shtml

5. Convention on laundering, search, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds from crime (Strasbourg, 08.11.1990). URL: http://www.businesspravo.ru/Docum/DocumShow_DocumID_39137.html

6. The criminal law Convention on corruption (Strasbourg, 27.01.1999). URL: http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/rus/Treaties/Html/173.htm

7. Federal law of 25.12.2008 N 273-FZ (ed. from 03.07.2016 No. 236-FZ). "On combating corruption" URL: http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_82959/

8. Federal law of 03.12.2012 N 230-FZ "On control over compliance costs of persons holding public office and other persons to their income". URL: http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_138550/

9. The decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 19.05.2008 N 815 (in ed. from 14.02.2014) "About measures on corruption counteraction". URL: http://base.consultant.ru/cons/cgi/online.cgi?req=doc;base=LAW;n=159027

10. The decree of the President of the Russian Federation from 11.04.2014 N 226 "On the national anti-corruption plan for 2014-2015". URL: http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_161699/

11. Criminal code of the Russian Federation from 13.06.1996 N 63-FZ (as amended on 19.12.2016 No. 436-FZ) // Sz the Russian Federation. – 1996. – N 25. – St. 2954.

12. A criminality condition in Russia for January-December 2015. URL: https://mvd.ru/upload/site1/document_file/sb_1512.pdf

13. Corruption as a kind of illegal activity. The condition, structure, dynamics and trends of corruption crime. URL: http://www.pandia.ru/text/78/314/11802.php

14. EBRD: In Russia the high level of corruption among the CIS countries. URL: http://top.rbc.ru/society/11/11/2004/91135.shtml

15. The prevention of corruption crime. Reference. Criminology. Crime in Russia. URL: http://criminal.peterlife.ru/criminal/184.html#.VE_ka1crpYA

16. See: Artemyev M. V. Corruption and corruption crimes. URL: http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/korruptsiya-i-korruptsionnye-prestupleniya; Criminological characteristics of corruption and corruption crimes. URL: http://www.elective.ru/arts/uri01-k0464-p20769.phtml