The role of the institute of initiating criminal proceeding in ensuring the victims' rights on their access to justice

The article considers the essence and legal content of a stage of initiating a criminal proceeding. The author refers to the earlier studies in this sphere as well as to criminal investigation and judicial practice in the last ten years, statistical data on the results of reviewing crime reports and directly to the provisions of the criminal procedure legislation regulating this stage of criminal proceeding. Based on the extensive empirical data the author substantiates the conclusions that the stage of initiating a criminal proceeding in its current form is a barrier for citizens in relation to their right to an access to justice, greatly decreases the effectiveness of the State's response to crime reports, therefore it should be abolished as a distinct stage of criminal proceeding.