M.A. Fadeeva

The article raises the question of the appropriateness of applying Art. 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for the qualification of crimes committed by medical workers in the field of professional activity. The author examines certain issues of the theory of qualification of crimes, referring to the works of famous scientists. The article also examines the official acts of the highest judicial bodies, analyzes the law enforcement practice.

The article deals with the problems of criminal liability of a medical worker for careless crimes committed in the field of professional activity in the context of two divergent trends in the criminal policy pursued by the state. The main attention of the authors is focused on the issues of the statute of limitations of the criminal prosecution of a medical worker. As a result of the humanization of the criminal law, the statute of limitations for the crimes of medical workers with a fatal outcome has been significantly reduced, which does not allow the investigative and judicial authorities to perform the task of a comprehensive and objective investigation and trial of the relevant criminal cases. The complexity of criminal cases on the crimes of medical workers, the need to appoint forensic medical examinations, including additional and repeated ones, do not allow conducting the necessary investigative actions and considering the case by the court within the time limits provided for by the criminal law. The authors come to the conclusion that it is necessary to transfer the composition of the negligent infliction of death on a person by a medical worker to the category of a medium-gravity crime and, accordingly, to increase the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution for this crime. According to the authors, this will contribute to strengthening the criminal law protection of the rights of victims and create conditions for the proper investigation and trial of criminal cases in this category of crimes of medical workers.