The current state of the institutional balance in criminal proceedings

The high-quality functioning of the criminal justice system based on the rule of law is one of the important indicators of a legal democratic state. This system includes the coordinated work of many components: distribution of authority, high-quality legal support, staff competence, vision of the reform strategy. The problems of institutional balance, which can be seen in non-systemic changes, politicization of the criminal process, duplication of functions or blocking the appointment of heads of some state institutions, corruption and inter-institutional conflicts, undoubtedly, have a negative impact on the realization of the right to a fair trial. Thus, the relevance and importance of the topic is undeniable. The aim of the study is to describe the current state of the institutional balance in the system of criminal proceedings. Logical-analytical and sociological methods, comparative and structural-systemic approaches were used to achieve this goal. Ideas about institutions and institutes as elements of the social life organization, borrowed from the supporter of institutional theory D. North and other foreign scientists (M. Chamon, S. Platon, F. Fabbrini, P. Craig), received conceptual development. This allowed formulating the author's vision of "institutionalization of criminal proceedings" and "institutional balance", the structure of the institutional environment of criminal proceedings, institutional risks. The study showed problems in the field of institutional support of criminal proceedings: postponement or imitation of reforms, politicization of the institution building process, bureaucracy, overburdening, internal complexity of structures, corruption, institutional conflicts, and lack of a unified strategy for further development of the institutional environment

criminal proceedings, powers, institutional balance, institutional environment, institutional risks, reforms