ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEGAL ISSUES OF CONDUCTING A STING OPERATION

Introduction: in the article, the disputable issues of using the sting operation in search and investigation activities research are studied. Purpose: the author analyses and compares different approaches to defining the legal nature of the sting operation and its contents. Methods: the methodological basis of the research is a complex of the scientific cognition methods, with the leading position belonging to the dialectical method. In the article, the general scientific (dialectics, analysis and synthesis, abstracting and concretizing), and specific scientific research methods (formal legal, comparative legal, technical legal). During the scientific research, a significant attention was given to comparative and systematic approach, and to the method of juridical simulation. Results: the author compares the contents of the "sting operation" and "provocation" notions, justifies author's approaches of the scientists to the understanding of the legal nature of the crime provocation. For comparing of these two notions, the procedural requirements for the sting operations are given. In the work, much attention is given to the admissibility criteria for creating the sting operation situations. The tactical features of conducting a sting operation are researched. In the article, the problem is stated of developing the clear criteria of differentiating between the legitimacy of the sting operation and the crime provocation. The author hopes to attract the attention of different law branches scientists to this problem, especially the attention of the criminal law, criminal procedure, criminal investigation, psychology scientists and others. Conclusions: the generalization of the scientific opinions and court practice discovers the negative view onto the crime provocation; it is fairly believed that it cannot be justified by anything, even by the very noble crime prevention goals and actions.