Conduct of the inquiry in a reduced format

This paper examined the procedure of inquiry in a reduced format under the Criminal Processing Code of the Russian Federation. Exploring reductions related to evidence/ proof during the initial inquiry in a reduced format enabled the authors to come to a conclusion that they may lead to the breach of the reduction principle that implies that a phenomenon may be reduced to any extent, but always subject to retaining the core of it. As a result, the criminal processing format of inquiry in a reduced format shall contravene the ontological, epistemological and legal framework of proceedings, and shall lose the high-quality determinacy appropriate for proceedings. An issue of guilt and proper punitive measure to be resolved in courts shall be dependent on the findings made by inquiry.