Review

The effectiveness activity of law enforcement bodies and other structures associated with the embodiment in practice of scientifically based methods, techniques, tools and means of prevention, investigation, detection and disclosure of criminal offenses. In our opinion, the most favourable of these directions currently intended to be the use of psychophysiology knowledge in criminal proceedings.

The methodology of psychophysiological diagnostics include individual specific methods of studying human physiological characteristics, treatment, research and evaluation of the results. Methods of forensic examination determined on branch level. Currently, the issues of forming a new approach to psychophysiological examination as specialized research in psychology and physiology are actualized.

As during any forensic examination and during the psychophysiological examination the principles of legality, objectivity, independence and complete investigation are mandatory.

Psychophysiological examination is a tool, regulated by the Criminal Procedure Code within criminal proceedings for the establish of circumstances of criminal events that took place. Psychophysiological examination is a specialized research, conducted by forensic expert, who applies scientific methods in psychology and physiology.

The purpose of psychophysiological examination is obtaining the opinion which will be used as evidence in criminal proceedings, after proper study by the investigator / prosecutor / court.

The main objective of psychophysiological research conducted during criminal proceedings is to investigate physiological mechanisms of psychological processes, conditions and behaviours on the system, neural, synaptic and molecular levels to obtain an opinion on the nature of their origin, development and impact.

Thus, within criminal proceedings, there is need for changes to the current Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, where as the necessary component of criminal proceedings determine the presence of psychophysiological characteristics of the participant of criminal proceedings which is obtained with a specially developed technique in compliance with categorical apparatus.

Keywords: psychophysiological examination, expert opinion, source of evidence, expert, criminal proceedings.