Comparative review of the investigation and confiscation of criminal assets

Abstract

In introduction author points to the necessity of adopting the institute of confiscation of criminal assets, supported by international experience, primarily due to the weakness of previously known institute confiscation of the proceeds of crime (for which the offender is being tried), showed in front of the phenomenon of organized crime. In doing so, he analyzes the modalities of confiscation of criminal origin present in modern legal systems and emphasizes the required standard of proof, as one of the key factors of their particularity. The following is a comparative review of the system for investigating and confiscation of criminal assets in Italy, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, France and the United States. There are emphasized the normative elements which affect to scope of application of this institute, especially in light of its connection to the criminal proceedings, as well as jurisdiction to realization of the investigation process and procedure of confiscation. In the final part, the author concludes that appropriate social and institutional responses are very important for the effective fight against crime, every time if there is a suspicion about illegally acquired wealth. In doing so, particular attention arouses organized crime, particularly in the light of contemporary global trends, which, unfortunately, significantly affect the possibility of the development of organized crime, and development and/or covering up its financial component. In this sense, the author emphasizes that the basic characteristics of the system for investigation and confiscation of criminal assets connected to the criminal proceedings, which are used in developed European countries and the United States: (1) changed the rules of evidence, which means less convenient role of suspects, (2) the application of this mechanism to a limited number of crimes, which often includes drug trafficking and other serious crimes or organized crime, and (3) the existence of specialized subjects and investigative powers, which vary in relation to the classical powers related to the investigation of criminal offenses.