Release from Punishment under the Draft New Criminal Code of Ukraine

Abstract

Reforming criminal law leads to the emergence of new or improvement of existing legal institutions, which actualizes the conduct of thorough research. The purpose of the article is seen in the definition of the author’s vision of the model of the institution of release from punishment in the draft of the new Criminal Code of Ukraine. To achieve this goal using historical and legal, comparative, dialectical, systemic, hermeneutic and other methods, we critically analyzed national and foreign legislation, doctrinal provisions, and highlighted the proposals for the draft of the new Criminal Code of Ukraine.According to the results of the study, the main novelties of reforming the legal institution of release from punishment are substantiated. The considerations guided by the working group on the development of the new criminal legislation in formulating new legislative provisions are given. The necessity of changing the terminology of the institute of release from punishment is proved. The expediency of enshrining in the legislation new sub-institutions of the institute of release from punishment is substantiated: non-sentencing; non-execution of the sentencing; deferral of execution of sentencing; suspension of execution of punishment. Arguments concerning expediency of optimization of the system of types of release from punishment are resulted. It is argued that the institution of release from criminal liability is inconsistent with the principle of presumption of innocence. In this regard, the expediency of transforming this legal institution into an institution of release from punishment has been proven. The ways of systematization of types of release from punishment provided in the legislation of the criminal block are defined. The types of release from punishment have been systematized taking into account the stage of criminal proceedings. The way of solving the problem of ensuring the system of external relations of the system of types of release from punishment within the legislation of the criminal bloc is highlighted. A new vision of amnesty and pardon regulation is proposed.The urgency of improvement in the new legislation of legal regulation of the types of release from punishment tested in practice is argued: in connection with the expiration of the statute of limitations; release from serving a probation sentence; parole.Demonstrated as positive obligations of the state in the field of human rights have influenced the design of provisions on exemption from punishment for illness, parole, amnesty. Legislative proposals have been made to settle the issue of early release of convicts sentenced to life imprisonment.