AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES
IN THE CRIMINAL CODE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Larisa V. Monakhova¹, Mikhail A. Smirnov²*, Ekaterina V. Shagova³ & Svenlana A. Yakovleva^4
1As. Prof., Mari State University, Russia, laranka@mail.ru
²*As. Prof., Mari State University, Russia, micsha.smi2015@yandex.ru
³As. Prof., Mari State University, Russia, korpusuris@bk.ru,
⁴As. Prof., Mari State University, Russia, 777pobeda@inbox.ru,
*Corresponding author

Abstract
The article explains the aggravating circumstances concept and essence. It shows the correlation between the aggravating circumstances and qualifying signs of crimes and examines the role of aggravating circumstances in sentencing under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The analysis of the aggravating circumstance and qualifying signs of the crimes in this article has been done following the latest changes in the criminal legislation of the Russian Federation. The recommendations to improve judicial practice and criminal law were made in this paper based on an analysis of judicial practice.

Keywords: qualification of crimes, sentencing, aggravating circumstances, judicial errors