ON JOURNALISTIC INVESTIGATIONS AND CRIMES

Abstract

The article explores the essence, role, and significance of journalistic investigations in identifying, exposing, and preventing crimes in modern society. The legal, ethical, and social aspects of investigative journalism are revealed in the context of ensuring transparency in public administration, upholding human rights, and combating corruption. It is determined that journalistic investigations play an important role in the system of public control, contributing to increased trust in governmental institutions, the development of legal culture, and social responsibility. The main methods and techniques of journalistic investigations in relation to open criminal proceedings are analyzed, including information gathering, conducting interviews, working with documents, digital forensics, and the use of modern information technologies.
Particular attention is paid to the issues of adherence to ethical principles and legal norms during journalistic investigations, including the confidentiality of sources, factual accuracy, and the safety of journalists. The paper summarizes examples of international and Ukrainian experiences of how journalistic investigations influence legislative and policy reforms, including the investigations of the Watergate scandal, the “Panama Papers,” the #MeToo movement, as well as the Ukrainian projects Bihus.info and “Slidstvo.Info.”
Theoretical generalizations of the study indicate that journalistic investigations represent a multifaceted interdisciplinary phenomenon that combines legal norms, ethical principles, methods of criminalistics, and social mechanisms of influence on society. In modern academic discourse, investigative journalism is viewed not only as a form of publicistic activity aimed at informing the public, but also as an instrument of public control and an informal element of the crime prevention system. Its essence lies in the ability to ensure the public exposure of offenses, promote adherence to the rule of law, and enhance the transparency of governmental activities.
From a criminalistics perspective, journalistic investigations function as an auxiliary mechanism for collecting, verifying, and systematizing information that may have evidentiary or orientational value for law enforcement agencies. At the same time, they encourage society to recognize the importance of legality and social justice, fostering an active civic position. Overall, journalistic investigations should be regarded as a parallel mechanism of criminalistic activity that combines legal, social, and informational functions, contributing to the efficiency of the state crime prevention system and the development of democratic institutions in society.