Formation and Development of Criminal Justice in Ukraine: Stages and Patterns (1991–2025)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to conduct a systematic historical and legal analysis of the formation and development of criminal justice in independent Ukraine during 1991–2025, to identify the main stages of this process, and to determine the key patterns, contradictions, and outcomes of its transformation. The study is based on the understanding of criminal justice as an independent type of justice aimed at implementing the crime control function of the state through the activities of authorized entities in combating criminal offenses. Methods. The research employs a set of general scientific and special legal methods, including historical-legal, system-structural, formal-legal, and comparative-legal methods. The analysis is based on legislation, academic sources, and doctrinal approaches to understanding criminal justice and its components. Results. The article substantiates the periodization of the development of criminal justice in Ukraine, which includes three interconnected stages: the formation of the foundations of criminal justice in an independent state (1991–1996), constitutional consolidation and development (1996–2014), and transformation under modern conditions (2014–2025). It is established that each stage was characterized by significant changes in the institutional structure, functional purpose, and legal regulation of criminal justice. The study examines the evolution of the role of courts, prosecution authorities, pre-trial investigation bodies, and the penitentiary system, as well as the influence of international standards and European integration processes on the development of criminal justice. It also identifies trends in the humanization of criminal legislation, strengthening of judicial control, expansion of procedural safeguards of human rights, and the introduction of new legal institutions. Conclusions. The study demonstrates that the development of criminal justice in Ukraine has a gradual and systemic character and is accompanied by changes in the distribution of powers among its actors, improvement of procedural mechanisms, and gradual alignment with international standards. At the same time, the lack of a comprehensive approach to understanding its historical development necessitates further research in this area, which is important for improving legislation and enhancing the effectiveness of criminal justice.