Psychological characteristics of the negatively oriented groups and their leaders, and the possibility of using this information in the professional activities of law enforcement agencies

The article considers the social and psychological characteristics of different participants of gang offences: the leaders of criminal groups, the rank and file members. On the basis of psychological research the author develops psychological portraits of the leaders of criminal groups and perpetrators who committed acquisitive crimes, acquisitive violent crimes as well as crimes in the sphere of illicit drug trafficking. The tactical and psychological advice on how to conduct several investigative actions in the investigation of these categories of crimes is given.