The role of advocacy in the investigation of crimes against the life and health

Oleksandr Lavryk; Alina Biryukova; Ismayil Garibli; Inna Bespalko; Mykhailo Karpenko

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2026258

Keywords:

Abstract

The role of advocacy in the investigation of crimes against life and health remains insufficiently explored in legal scholarship, particularly in the context of its impact on evidentiary integrity and procedural fairness. This study addresses this gap by conducting a comparative analysis of civil law, common law, and hybrid legal systems, examining how advocacy influences investigative processes and legal outcomes. Using a mixed-methods approach that integrates qualitative legal analysis, comparative jurisprudence, and statistical evaluation, this research highlights jurisdictional differences and identifies best practices in legal representation during criminal investigations. The findings reveal that advocacy significantly contributes to safeguarding procedural rights, ensuring transparency, and enhancing the effectiveness of investigations. However, ethical dilemmas concerning evidence gathering and confidentiality pose ongoing challenges. The research analyzed 50 cases involving intentional murder, attempted murder, and grievous bodily harm across six jurisdictions, supplemented by interviews with practicing lawyers, prosecutors, and law enforcement officers. Statistical data revealed substantial variation in legal participation: common law systems demonstrated consistently high involvement of defense counsel, civil law systems showed delayed engagement, and hybrid systems exhibited transitional models influenced by international obligations. Survey responses confirmed that advice on procedural rights, cross-border cooperation, and the use of digital evidence platforms represent the most critical domains of advocacy in practice. Regression analysis further demonstrated that legal traditions, case complexity, and international human rights standards are decisive factors shaping the intensity and quality of legal participation. The discussion situates these results within the context of previous scholarship, revealing convergences with existing studies on technological evidence, cultural determinants of crime, and international cooperation, while also highlighting gaps in current legal frameworks. Ethical concerns, particularly breaches of confidentiality and prosecutorial pressure on lawyers, are identified as systemic risks that weaken the effectiveness of legal defense. This study’s insights provide a foundation for refining legal frameworks and promoting more effective cross-jurisdictional standards in international criminal law. By emphasizing both theoretical and practical dimensions, the findings contribute to ongoing debates on human rights protection, procedural fairness, and the modernization of criminal justice, making a strong case for early and meaningful participation of legal counsel in investigations as a constitutional imperative.
References
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Lavryk , O., Biryukova, A., Garibli, I., Bespalko, I., & Karpenko, M. (2025). The role of advocacy in the investigation of crimes against the life and health. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 8(4), 2026258. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2026258

[1] Aliyeva, Z. (2022). Influence of state policy components on the rate of violence and crime against human life and health. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 20(4), 451–464. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.20(4).2022.34

[2] American Public University. (2024, August 20). What is a criminal investigator? https://www.apu.apus.edu/area-of-study/security-and-global-studies/resources/what-is-a-criminal-investigator/

[3] Arcer, A. (2022). Crimes against personal health are committed through participation. Studii Juridice Universitare, 1, 128–141. https://doi.org/10.54481/sju.2022.1.12

[4] Areas of Law: Understanding Legal Disciplines. (2024). Prospects.ac.uk. Retrieved January 15, 2025, from https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/law-sector/areas-of-law

[5] Bellizzi, S., Pichierri G, Farina G, Cegolon L, & Abdelbaki W. (2021). Violence against healthcare: A public health issue beyond conflict settings. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 106(1), 15–16. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.21-0979

[6] Cheronis & Parente Llc. (2024, April 1). Criminal defense and investigations - Your attorney’s role. https://www.cheronislaw.com/blog/2023/12/criminal-defense-and-investigations-your-attorneys-role/

[7] Cleary Gottlieb. (2024). 2023 year-in-review: Developments and trends in white collar enforcement litigation. https://www.clearygottlieb.com/news-and-insights/publication-listing/2023-year-in-review-developments-and-trends-in-white-collar-enforcement-litigation

[8] Conseil National des Barreaux. (n. d.). The French lawyer and internal investigations. https://www.cnb.avocat.fr/sites/default/files/cnb_guide_the_french_lawyer_and_internal_investigations.pdf

[9] Cturcotte. (2025, January 7). Crime trends working group. Council on Criminal Justice. https://counciloncj.org/crime-trends-working-group/

[10] Easter. (2023, December 25). The role of the criminal law lawyer during the investigation process. https://belmontecrespoabogados.com/en/the-role-of-the-criminal-law-lawyer-during-the-investigation-process/

[11] European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (Ecchr). (2024). Trial international: UJAR digital [PDF]. https://www.ecchr.eu/fileadmin/Publikationen/Trial_International_UJAR_DIGITAL.pdf

[12] Harvard Law School. (2024, May 23). Prosecution career guide. https://hls.harvard.edu/bernard-koteen-office-of-public-interest-advising/opia-job-search-toolkit/career-and-application-guides/prosecution-career-guide/

[13] Inshyn, M., Shchokin, R., Semenets-Orlova, I., Kravchenko, O., & Barsuk, M. (2024). The role of attorney’s request as a communication instrument in advocacy. Journal of Forensic Science and Medicine, 10(1), 34–41. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfsm.jfsm_114_22

[14] International Criminal Court. (2023). 5th Judicial seminar report. https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/2023-03/2023-ICC-5th-Judicial-Seminar-report.pdf

[15] International Criminal Court. (2024, May 24). Panel report on the international criminal court's role in the prevention of conflicts and the protection of victims. https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/2024-05/240520-panel-report-eng.pdf

[16] Kiełbas, D. (2021). The principle of complicity in international self-inflicted injury as a negative premise for the objective attribution of an effect from the perspective of crimes against life and health in Polish and German criminal law. RAIP, 4(XI), 61-69. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0015.8301

[17] Learnihan, V., Kinfu, Y., & Turrell, G. (2022). Social determinants of depression among mid-to-older aged Australians: A prospective study of the effects of neighbourhood disadvantage and crime. SSM - Population Health, 19, 101190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101190

[18] Marsh, D., Hough, A., & Bigby, Ch. (2024). Enforcement of work health and safety laws in services for people with disabilities: Issues for policymakers and regulators. Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/23297018.2024.2308287

[19] Minitab. (2024). Data analysis, statistical & process improvement tools. https://www.minitab.com/en-us/

[20] Montana Lawyers. (2023, December 16). Uncovering the role of lawyers in criminal court: What do they do? https://montanalawyers.net/what-do-lawyers-do-in-a-criminal-court/

[21] Morales, Sh. K., & Morales, M. K. (2024). Culture of peace in the context of growing social violence in Peru. Revista Venezolana De Gerencia, 29(105), 36–48. https://doi.org/10.52080/rvgluz.29.105.3

[22] Nanda, B., Ray, N., & Mukherjee, R. (2020). Son preference, security concerns and crime against women: Expanding the public health discourse in India. Indian Journal of Public Health, 64(2), 204. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijph.ijph_480_19

[23] Payne, B. K. (2020). Criminals work from home during pandemics too: A public health approach to respond to fraud and crimes against those 50 and above. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 45(4), 563–577. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-020-09532-6

[24] Qualified Lawyers. (2023, August 23). Retrieved January 15, 2025, from https://www.sra.org.uk/become-solicitor/qualified-lawyers/

[25] Shchokin, R., Oliinyk, V., Amelin, O., Bondarenko, Y., Maziychuk, V., & Kyslenko, D. (2023). Methods of combating offenses in the field of ecology. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, 14(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.14505/jemt.v14.1(65).01

[26] Shchokin, R., Soloviov, O., & Tantsiura, I. (2024). Public management in the sphere of national and state security: Concepts and strategies. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 7, 2024spe041. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2024spe041

[27] Survio. (2024). Legal practitioners’ roles and challenges in investigating crimes against life and health: A transnational perspective. https://www.survio.com/survey/d/Z2H0U2O7U3T2G7Y6J

[28] Tymoshenko, Y., Kyslenko, D., Kuzmichova-Kyslenko, E., Leonenko, I., & Servetsky, I. (2022). Features of the pre-trial investigation of air pollution. Environment and Ecology Research, 10(2), 133–145. https://doi.org/10.13189/eer.2022.100203

[29] Wang, H., & Ma, S. (2021). Preventing crimes against public health with artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 80, 101043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seps.2021.101043

[30] Woźniak, W. (2022). Motives for selected crimes against life and health. Kwartalnik Naukowy Fides Et Ratio, 3(51), 187–193. https://doi.org/10.34766/fetr.v3i51.1114

Abstract

References

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