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Scientific Journal of the National Academy of Internal Affairs

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  • Vol. 31, No. 1, 2026

  • The State Bureau of Investigation as subject of countering criminal offenses in the field of official activity

  • Received 05.12.2025,
  • Revised 02.03.2026,
  • Accepted 31.03.2026
  • Published 02.04.2026
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Vol. 31, No. 1, 2026
  • investigation; investigative units; procedural guidance; official crimes; corruption offenses; abuse of official position; European standards
  • https://doi.org/10.63341/naia-herald/1.2026.23
  • Pages 23-40

The relevance of the study is determined by the necessity to eliminate normative inconsistencies and improve the effectiveness of criminal prosecution in cases related to official activities, amid the reform of the pre-trial investigation system in Ukraine. The study covers the period from 2021 to 2024. This approach made it possible to establish the relationship between the institutional effectiveness of different pre-trial investigation bodies and identify the current problem areas of jurisdictional delimitation. The purpose of the study was to assess the institutional capacity of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) in countering criminal offenses of an official nature. The methodological basis was a sequential combination of statistical analysis, normative-legal evaluation of current regulations, and institutional modeling of interactions between criminal justice bodies. The results of the quantitative analysis demonstrated that the majority of criminal proceedings under the jurisdiction of the SBI concerned abuse of power (3,955 cases in 2021) and official negligence (1,894 cases in 2024). The highest conviction rate was observed in cases of unlawful benefit receipt (99 verdicts in 2021), while the lowest was in cases of exceeding power (8 verdicts in 2024). A comparative analysis with the National Police data showed that in 2025, the highest share of closed proceedings was under Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (“official negligence”) (527 cases), confirming difficulties in proving intent and qualifying actions. The results showed the presence of institutional contradictions in defining the competence of pre-trial investigation bodies and conflicts between the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine and special laws. The issue of jurisdictional overlap between the SBI, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the National Police remains problematic, complicating the separation of powers and delaying the investigation process. This necessitates the improvement of normative regulation and optimisation of procedures for documenting official crimes. The results of the study can be used by criminal justice bodies, scientific institutions, and higher education institutions in the development of educational and law enforcement programs

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