On July 11 presentation of electronic records system of archive of Administration of the RA Investigative Committee was held. Chairman of the RA National Statistical Service Stepan Mnatsakanyan, Director of the RA National Archives Amatuni Virabyan were present at presentation.  
 

Technical capabilities of electronic records system of archive were presented by Deputy Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee Artur Ghambaryan.  
 

“Creation of these databases aims to assist investigators – to raise the investigation quality, to receive information necessary for investigation as soon as possible which will contribute to reduction of terms of preliminary investigation”, said the Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee Aghvan Hovsepyan adding, “To live in the age of information technology and not to use those technical measures means to stagnate”.
 

The developed databases will give an opportunity to get comprehensive information on persons involved in proceedings.
 

Background and existing problems
 

Before formation of the RA Investigative Committee – while the archiving was operated in a traditional way, the archived terminated criminal cases the preservation deadline of which expired were abolished. Whereas it is known that there are newly emerged circumstances in criminal justice system and under these circumstances it is necessary to review the proceeding of terminated cases.
 

Secondly, while archiving terminated criminal cases no registration of any significant record was implemented. The recording system of decisions on dismissal of initiation of criminal cases, of the ones sent to court was also missing.
 

Thirdly, while the number of archived criminal cases was increasing during the years, in practice, there was a problem of keeping the large-scale criminal cases.   
 

Measures to solve the existing problems
 

After the formation of the RA Investigative Committee practical steps were taken to solve the above-mentioned issues.
 

It was necessary to create electronic records system to conduct regulated recording of the proceedings of terminated criminal cases which were passed to the archive of the Administration of the RA Investigative Committee to reveal the existing problems and to present efficient ways for their solution.
 

The information card of archiving the terminated criminal cases was developed and later was confirmed by the order N 20-Լ of 11.04.2016 of the Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee which contains the following information;
 

         1. The article and the date of initiation of criminal cases
         2. Data of a person or persons submitting a report on crime, the injured party, the accused, the suspect
         3. Data of the given person or persons in case there is a decision on not conducting criminal prosecution
         4. The name of the subdivision initiating the criminal case or terminating the proceeding of the criminal case
         5. The ground for termination (article and date)
 

Thus, the following data are reflected in the system of electronic records, information and search system of archived criminal cases; the person submitting a report on crime, the injured party, the accused, the suspect,  the data of the given person or persons in case there is a decision on not conducting criminal prosecution.
 

Recording of criminal cases sent to court is now implemented to enrich the database which is also included in electronic recording system.
 

Since January, 2016 system of digitalization of criminal cases has been introduced in all territorial subdivisions of the RA Investigative Committee with technical support of US Embassy which, besides solving a number of corruption and systemic problems, has given an opportunity to create a connection between terminated and digitalized criminal cases and electronic records system of archive. Currently digitalized and terminated criminal cases are being downloaded in the system of electronic records, information and search system of archived criminal cases which will give the investigative body an opportunity to have more complete information on behavioral and psychological characteristics of the given person through studying the digitalized criminal case and on its base to decide the tactics and methodology of investigation.
 

The development of the program of electronic preliminary investigation is in process which is planned to be over in autumn, 2016.