Instituto de Estudios Políticos y Derecho Público "Dr. Humberto J. La Roche"
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Maracaibo, Venezuela
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Vol. 41, Nº 79 (2023), 595-606
IEPDP-Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas - LUZ
Recibido el 03/08/23 Aceptado el 15/09/23
Prospects for the implementation of the
system of electronic criminal proceedings
in Ukraine
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46398/cuestpol.4179.40
Viktoriia Zarubei *
Yuliia Fidria **
Volodymyr Yusupov ***
Yuliia Sukhomlyn ****
Iryna Soroka *****
Abstract
Using the dialectical method, the article is devoted to the study
of the impact of digitization on the implementation of pre-trial
criminal proceedings and court proceedings in Ukraine. Based
on the study of the positive international experience of electronic
criminal proceedings, the good features of the introduction
and further development of electronic criminal proceedings have been
identied, such as: optimization of the investigation and trial procedure;
improvement of supervision and control; saving budget funds; reducing
the number of employees; elimination of red tape and corruption risks;
automation of communication processes and others. In the conclusions, the
authors argue that it is desirable to determine in the procedural legislation
the possibility of introducing a special regime of court proceedings, in the
form of videoconferencing and procedures for signing court judgments,
etc., during the period of war or state of emergency.
Keywords: electronic criminal proceedings; pre-trial investigation;
information technologies; digitalization; digital evidence.
* Candidate of legal sciences, Professor of the Department of Criminal Procedure, National Academy
of Internal Aairs, Kyiv, Ukraine. ORСID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6690-967X. Email:
zarybey@bigmir.net
** Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Criminal Law and
Procedure, Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University, Lutsk, Ukraine. ORСID ID: https://orcid.
org/0000-0001-9703-9494. Email: x357@ukr.net
*** Doctor in Law, Professor, Leading Research Fellow of the Scientic Research Laboratory on the
Problems of Providing Criminal and Forensic Expert Study, National Academy of Internal Aairs, Kyiv,
Ukraine. ORСID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5216-4144. yusupov1vv@gmail.com
**** Candidate of legal sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of Criminal Procedure, National
Academy of Internal Aairs, Kyiv, Ukraine. ORСID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5699-6914.
Email: sjulia25@ukr.net
***** Lecturer of Department of criminal justice and judicial medicine, National academy of Internal Aairs,
Kyiv, Ukraine. ORСID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1536-6745. Email: ira_07_09@ukr.net
596
Viktoriia Zarubei, Yuliia Fidria, Volodymyr Yusupov, Yuliia Sukhomlyn y Iryna Soroka
Prospects for the implementation of the system of electronic criminal proceedings in Ukraine
Perspectivas de la implementación del sistema de
procesos penales electrónicos en Ucrania
Resumen
Mediante el método dialectico, el artículo está dedicado al estudio
del impacto de la digitalización en la implementación de procedimientos
penales previos al juicio y procesos judiciales en Ucrania. Sobre la base del
estudio de la experiencia internacional positiva de los procesos penales
electrónicos, se han identicado las características buenas de la introducción
y el desarrollo ulterior de los procesos penales electrónicos, tales como:
optimización del procedimiento de investigación y juicio; mejora de la
supervisión y el control; ahorrar fondos del presupuesto; reducir el número
de empleados; eliminación de trámites burocráticos y riesgos de corrupción;
automatización de procesos de comunicación y otros. En las conclusiones
los autores fundamentan la conveniencia de determinar en la legislación
procesal la posibilidad de introducir un régimen especial de actuaciones
judiciales, en la modalidad de videoconferencia y procedimientos de rma
de sentencias judiciales, etc., durante el período de guerra o estado de
excepción.
Palabras clave: proceso penal electrónico; investigación previa al juicio;
tecnologías de la información; digitalización; prueba
digital.
Introduction
An integral part of modern society is the presence of information and
communication technologies that provide access to new knowledge and
information. Without the use of technical means and scientic discoveries
in the eld of informatics related to the collection, processing, storage and
processing of information, investigation, disclosure and prevention of
criminal oenses, systematic analysis of the received information about the
committed criminal oense is impossible.
The development of modern information technologies makes it possible
to signicantly improve the exchange and storage of information, the use
of procedural document templates, which greatly facilitates the work of
prosecutors and investigators, however, in national legal practice, electronic
document circulation within the criminal process is duplicated by the
corresponding paper document circulation, which leads to signicant costs
in terms of working time, and material and technical resources. At the same
time, modern systems of multi-level information protection and cloud
technologies allow subjects of authority to be sure of the preservation and
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CUESTIONES POLÍTICAS
Vol. 41 Nº 79 (2023): 595-606
security of information resources, condential data and the possibility of
their restoration in case of accidental or intentional destruction (Mazuryk,
2022).
The need for high-quality processing of information obtained through
the ocial activities of criminal justice ocials is due to a number of
reasons, in particular: timely notication of pre-trial investigation bodies
with information obtained in the course of ocial activities; the possibility
of obtaining reliable information for the relevant situation upon request to
the database of the network of law enforcement agencies; prompt use of the
full volume of veried information, which makes it possible to quickly make
a decision in the conditions of the ocial environment; organization and
preservation of collected materials (Popovich, 2022).
Therefore, the issue of introducing the concept of electronic criminal
proceedings into the practical activities of criminal justice system bodies
is urgent, and the gradual digitalization of all forms of activity of public
authorities is a necessary condition for the creation of an eective state
mechanism and legal regulation of social relations, aimed at protecting
human rights and freedoms and general interests society and the state. In
view of this, it is urgent to create the most eective system of electronic
cooperation, which will allow to activate the process of investigation of
criminal oenses and reduce the workload of the authorized subjects of the
criminal process, to ensure a high-quality and comprehensive investigation
and eective trial of each criminal case.
1. Methodology of the study
In order to achieve the set goal and ensure the scientic objectivity of
the obtained research results, a set of modern general scientic and special
methods used in legal science was chosen. All methods were applied in a
relationship, which in the end contributed to ensuring comprehensiveness,
completeness and objectivity of the results of scientic research, correctness
and consistency of conclusions. The dialectical method of scientic
knowledge became the methodological basis of the scientic article, it was
used to obtain substantiated conclusions and provide recommendations
regarding the introduction of the electronic criminal proceedings system in
Ukraine. Using the historical method, a study of the genesis of the electronic
criminal process in Ukraine was conducted.
The statistical method was applied during the analysis of investigative
and judicial statistics. The formal-logical method was used to dene the
concept of electronic criminal proceedings and clarify its essence. Using
the comparative method, the provisions of the current Criminal Procedure
Code of Ukraine (hereinafter – CPC of Ukraine) and the CPC of foreign
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Viktoriia Zarubei, Yuliia Fidria, Volodymyr Yusupov, Yuliia Sukhomlyn y Iryna Soroka
Prospects for the implementation of the system of electronic criminal proceedings in Ukraine
countries were compared, which made it possible to use positive experience
in the development of proposals for improving the norms of the current
legislation. The system-structural method, which is based on the comparison
of various provisions of criminology and criminal procedural law, made it
possible to provide a comprehensive interpretation of the essential features
of criminal procedural institutions and to determine the main ways of
improving the criminal procedural legislation of Ukraine regarding the use
of it. The generalization method made it possible to formulate scientically
based conclusions and provide recommendations of an applied nature.
2. Analysis of recent research
A signicant number of scientic works related to the study of technical
support for the investigation of criminal oenses are covered in scientic
studies to one degree or another. At the same time, it should be noted
that scientists considered the use of technical means mainly as a means
of recording the progress and results of procedural actions, investigated
the possibilities of conducting investigative (search) actions and judicial
review of criminal proceedings in the mode of remote access using video
conference telecommunication technologies.
Despite the signicant number of scientic works devoted to the
application and use of the electronic criminal proceedings system in
Ukraine, it should be noted that not all aspects of the specied problem
have been comprehensively researched and normatively regulated. The
purpose of the article is to determine the prospects for the implementation
and development of the electronic criminal proceedings system in Ukraine
by solving the following tasks: to investigate the foreign experience of
digitization of criminal procedural legislation and the features of its
application; outline the general concept of electronic criminal proceedings;
to carry out an analysis of the organizational, technical and procedural
aspects of the development of electronic criminal justice in Ukraine; to
determine amendments to the legislation in the conditions of martial law
in Ukraine.
3. Results and discussion
Electronic criminal proceedings can be characterized as a mode of
criminal procedural activity based on composite algorithms of automated
criminal procedural procedures of the Unied Register of Pretrial
Investigations (hereinafter – URPI) and electronic information systems
integrated with it.
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Today, Ukraine is in new realities related to European integration and
the bringing of criminal procedural legislation to the requirements of
international legal acts, which make it necessary to rethink many provisions
of the criminal process. It is natural that the execution of the tasks of criminal
proceedings in modern conditions cannot be ensured without eective
consideration of the European and international experience of criminal
proceedings (Lutsyk & Samariy, 2018, p. 139). Electronic proceedings
have a positive practice of application in many countries of the world, and
the study of their criminal procedural legislation is necessary to obtain a
positive experience of digitalization of criminal process procedures.
Digitization of the judicial system is actively developing in the United
States of America (hereinafter – USA), Great Britain, Germany, Canada,
Italy and others. For example, in the USA, the judicial system provides for
the possibility of free access to information about court documents, registers
of applications accepted for consideration, history of decisions, etc.
In Canada, the parties themselves determine the format of the
proceedings, upon the application of the interested person, the court may
decide to hold the hearing online. At the same time, there have been no
paper cases in any instance for a long time. All documents are submitted,
accepted and reviewed in electronic form. Therefore, there are no problems
with storing voluminous printed les, which only take up space and time
for their registration (E-litigation: international experience and benets of
implementation, 2019).
Some e-procedure initiatives implemented by other countries are
quite creative and at the same time eective. In particular, the Criminal
Procedure Code of Estonia provides for: conducting court proceedings
in an electronic and digital format; transfer of requests, statements,
complaints directly through the electronic case system (Kalancha, 2019,
p. 214215). The criminal justice system of the Republic of Moldova oers
for consideration such recommendations as an ad-hoc procedure, which
provides for the appointment of a forensic expert in the specialization
necessary for the examination; the possibility of making public during the
trial the video testimony of a minor witness so as not to involve him again
(Kalancha, 2020, p. 137).
It should be pointed out the positive experience of the electronic
interaction successfully implemented in the Czech Republic between the
bodies of the pre-trial investigation and other subjects of the process. A
clear example for imitation is the electronic system of the Czech Republic,
E-Case Management System (hereinafter – eCMS), which began to function
in 2006 in the police authorities. Its specicity consists in the material
provision of law enforcement agencies with gadgets connected to eCMS,
which allows checking persons, vehicles, registering proceedings, taking
ngerprints, etc. The main advantage of such a system is the possibility
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Viktoriia Zarubei, Yuliia Fidria, Volodymyr Yusupov, Yuliia Sukhomlyn y Iryna Soroka
Prospects for the implementation of the system of electronic criminal proceedings in Ukraine
of accounting for the performed search actions and obtaining access to all
electronic documents. It is this system that is taken as a basis in Ukraine
(Zhuchenko, 2021, p. 43).
We believe that certain technological solutions can be used by Ukraine
as well, in particular: automatic notication of the prosecutor about the
start of a pre-trial investigation in the ERDR; automation of electronic
interaction between the investigator and the prosecutor in the ERDR;
formation of templates of electronic procedural documents in the register;
full integration of paper criminal proceedings into electronic ones based on
the specied system; introduction of interaction of pre-trial investigation
bodies with other subjects of criminal proceedings by analogy with the
data box; creation of a special electronic system that will interact with
state registers and databases necessary for criminal proceedings (Stolitniy,
2017).
Positive foreign experience during the introduction and implementation of
the electronic and digital form of criminal cases only conrms the expediency
of further modernization of criminal procedural activities. Among such
provisions, it is worth noting: interaction with electronic registers; transfer of
petitions, statements, complaints directly through the electronic case system;
conducting court proceedings in electronic and digital format.
At the same time, it should be emphasized the perspective of further
research of the specied problem, which is caused by the need to analyze the
positive foreign practice of administrative-legal regulation of the functioning
of the information and telecommunication system of pre-trial investigation
and determine the possibility and expediency of its borrowing for the purpose
of implementation into national legislation and the practice of its application.
In Ukraine, the specics of the further development of electronic criminal
justice are dened in the Strategy for the Development of the Justice System
and Constitutional Justice for 2021–2023, in clause 4.1.4. which indicated
the need for «the introduction of modern electronic record keeping in the
court, electronic case management, electronic communications with the
court, the judge’s oce and the oce of the participant in the process»
(STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND
CONSTITUTIONAL JUSTICE FOR 2021-2023). At the same time, the issue
of adoption of the Unied State Concept for the Implementation of Electronic
Criminal Justice still remains open and requires immediate scientic study
and legislative resolution.
In accordance with the requirements of Part 6 of Art. 371 of the CPC of
Ukraine, «all court decisions are presented in writing in paper and electronic
forms» (CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE OF UKRAINE, 2012). Court
decisions are issued in electronic form in accordance with the requirements
of the legislation in the eld of electronic documents and electronic document
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circulation, as well as electronic digital signature». The functioning of
electronic record keeping is ensured by the existence of the Unied Judicial
Information and Telecommunication System, which determines the transfer
of criminal proceedings to e-format.
The gradual transfer of criminal proceedings to electronic form is evidenced
by legislative changes that have recently been made to the CPC of Ukraine.
Thus, the Law of Ukraine «On Amendments to the CPC of Ukraine Regarding
the Introduction of an Information and Telecommunication System of
Pretrial Investigation» dated June 1, 2021 (CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE
OF UKRAINE, 2012). In particular, the addition of Section XI «Transitional
Provisions» of the CPC of Ukraine, paragraph 20-6 of the following content
is important: «In case of lack of integration of the system that functions in
the court in accordance with Art. 35 of this Code, with the information and
telecommunications system of the pre-trial investigation, the investigator,
inquirer, prosecutor submits materials to the court in paper form and in
electronic form using a qualied electronic signature» (ON AMENDMENTS
TO THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE OF UKRAINE REGARDING THE
INTRODUCTION OF AN INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATION
SYSTEM OF PRE-TRIAL INVESTIGATION. LAW OF UKRAINE, 2021).
At the same time, it must be stated that the CPC of Ukraine has not yet
dened at the legislative level the concept and task of conducting electronic
criminal proceedings, although the code contains a number of provisions that
partially regulate the implementation of electronic procedural procedures
and their recording, which indicates a certain informatization of the criminal
process. Yes, part 2 of Art. 99 of the CPC of Ukraine stipulates that documents,
provided they contain information provided by law, may include photographic
materials, sound recordings, video recordings, and other information carriers
(including electronic ones).
According to Art. 103 of the CPC of Ukraine, one of the forms of recording
criminal proceedings is an information carrier on which procedural actions
are recorded using technical means. Article 107 of the Criminal Code of
Ukraine provides for the possibility of using technical means of recording
criminal proceedings. According to Art. 135 of the CPC of Ukraine, one of
the methods of subpoena in criminal proceedings is to send a subpoena by
e-mail, fax or telephone. Article 232 of the CPC of Ukraine provides for the
possibility of interrogation, identication in videoconference mode during
pre-trial investigation (CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE OF UKRAINE,
2012).
It should also be pointed out the positive provisions regarding the use
of video recording technical means during court proceedings. Thus, during
the trial and in the cases provided for by the Code of Criminal Procedure
of Ukraine, during the pre-trial investigation, the full recording of the
court session and procedural actions is ensured with the help of sound and
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Viktoriia Zarubei, Yuliia Fidria, Volodymyr Yusupov, Yuliia Sukhomlyn y Iryna Soroka
Prospects for the implementation of the system of electronic criminal proceedings in Ukraine
video recording technical means. The ocial record of the court session
is only the technical record made by the court (Part 5 of Article 27 of the
CPC of Ukraine) (CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE OF UKRAINE, 2012).
Recording the course of procedural actions with the help of a video recording
is currently the most eective proof of its indisputability, because this way
information is transmitted in full, provides the opportunity to objectively
perceive the source of information by all participants in the process, and
also creates conditions for a comprehensive and complete collection of such
information.
The CPC of Ukraine was supplemented by Art. 106-1, part 1 of which
denes that «the information and telecommunications system of pretrial
investigation is a system that ensures the creation, collection, storage, search,
processing and transmission of materials and information (information) in
criminal proceedings (ON AMENDMENTS TO THE CPC OF UKRAINE
REGARDING THE INTRODUCTION OF AN INFORMATION AND
TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM OF PRE-TRIAL INVESTIGATION.
LAW OF UKRAINE, 2021).
Documents signed, approved in the information and telecommunications
system of the pre-trial investigation using a qualied electronic signature,
their copies in electronic and paper forms are recognized as original
documents (Part 4 of Article 106-1 of the Criminal Procedure Code). The
information and telecommunications system of the pre-trial investigation
is subject to protection using a comprehensive information protection
system with conrmed compliance» (Part 6 of Article 106-1 of the Criminal
Procedure Code)» (ON AMENDMENTS TO THE CPC OF UKRAINE
REGARDING THE INTRODUCTION OF AN INFORMATION AND
TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM OF PRE-TRIAL INVESTIGATION.
LAW OF UKRAINE, 2021).
In accordance with the requirements of the legislation, on August 17,
2021, the Supreme Council of Justice approved the Regulation on the
procedure for the functioning of individual subsystems (modules) of the
Unied Judicial Information and Telecommunication System (hereinafter
– EJITS). Prior to the start of operation of the EJITS, the legislation
provides for the creation and operation of separate subsystems (modules)
of this system, i.e. the phased implementation of the entire system, which
will ensure the activities of the judiciary. The adopted Regulation denes
the applicable terms and concepts.
The procedure for functioning in courts and judicial bodies of individual
EJITS modules is provided for. Such subsystems are «Electronic cabinet»,
«Electronic court», as well as the functioning of video conferencing as
a separate subsystem. The procedure for taking procedural actions in
electronic form with the use of the specied subsystems of EJITS has been
determined. The peculiarities of the use of software in courts and justice
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bodies during the transition period before the start of the operation of
EUITS in its full composition of subsystems or modules were regulated
(ON APPROVAL OF THE REGULATION ON THE PROCEDURE FOR
THE FUNCTIONING OF INDIVIDUAL SUBSYSTEMS OF THE UNIFIED
JUDICIAL INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM.
DECISION OF THE HIGH COUNCIL OF JUSTICE, 2021).
In view of the expediency of implementing the concept of electronic
justice, it is important to recognize the provision that the «Electronic Court»
subsystem allows participants in the legal process to submit documents to
the court in electronic form, as well as to send procedural documents to
such participants in electronic form, in parallel with documents in paper
form in accordance with procedural legislation.
Thus, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine created the legal basis for the
introduction of the concept of electronic criminal proceedings into real
legal practice, and it is stipulated that the procedure for the functioning of
the information and telecommunications system of pre-trial investigation
should be determined by a provision jointly approved by the Oce of the
Prosecutor General, the body that includes the pre-trial investigation body
investigation, as well as the body approving the provisions on the system
that functions in the court.
At the same time, in the conditions of war on the territory of Ukraine,
certain organizational and technical issues remain unresolved, in
particular, the holding of court hearings directly in the courtroom. After
all, a signicant number of court premises have been destroyed, heavily
damaged, looted, sirens sound almost every day, which makes it necessary
to remove the entire court sta to a safe place, and this creates diculties in
organizational aspects, interrupts and delays the consideration of the case.
Therefore, during the martial law, the working conditions of justice bodies
have changed signicantly and require adaptation to new conditions and
ensuring the eective functioning of the judicial system, maximum access
to justice and bringing the work of the court to stable functioning.
The introduction of remote work of courts under martial law requires
the most eective use of electronic document circulation and access to
court cases in electronic form. Provided by the procedural legislation,
EJITS should ensure the exchange of documents in electronic form between
courts, between the court and the participants in the legal process, between
the participants in the legal process, as well as the recording of the legal
process and the participation of the participants in the legal process in the
court session in the mode of video conference.
Therefore, there is no objection to the fact that the procedural legislation
should provide for the possibility of introducing by the courts during a
period of war or a state of emergency a special regime of court work, which
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Viktoriia Zarubei, Yuliia Fidria, Volodymyr Yusupov, Yuliia Sukhomlyn y Iryna Soroka
Prospects for the implementation of the system of electronic criminal proceedings in Ukraine
would regulate the features of the remote form of work, which would provide
for the participation in the court session of judges and/or the secretary of
the court session remotely in video conference mode, remote participation
of judges in court proceedings in the order of written proceedings, features
of signing court decisions and procedural documents, including qualied
electronic signatures without drawing up or with a delay in drawing up
their paper originals.
In general, we can state that the issue of introducing remote forms of
court work, transition to an electronic form of judicial proceedings, access
to the judge’s electronic oce is extremely important, and the war only
made these issues more urgent. Without an urgent widespread transition
by the courts to a remote and electronic form of judicial proceedings, it
will be extremely dicult or practically impossible to really ensure the
right to a fair trial with security guarantees in the conditions of martial
law. The specied changes, on the one hand, are necessary to preserve the
lives and health of judges, employees of court apparatuses, participants in
court cases, will be the basis for making timely decisions on the evacuation
of court employees, and on the other hand, they will contribute to the
fulllment of the requirements of the Constitution of Ukraine regarding the
administration of justice in conditions of martial law state (Svoyak, 2020).
Considering all of the above, it can be stated that, despite a number
of risks and miscalculations that need to be regulated by law and worked
out in practice, the very concept of judicial reform in the direction of its
digitalization is progressive and relevant.
Conclusions
The introduction and further development of electronic criminal
proceedings has the following positive features: optimization of the pre-
trial investigation procedure; improvement of supervision and control
over the activities of authorized entities; saving budget funds; reducing the
number of employees involved in the investigation process; elimination
of bureaucratic procedures and corruption risks; increasing trust in law
enforcement agencies; automation of processes and eective methods
of electronic communication. The disadvantages include: variability
of technological resources and lack of proper technical support of law
enforcement agencies; risk of falsication of materials; unstable cyber
security.
Positive foreign experience during the introduction and implementation
of the electronic and digital form of criminal proceedings conrms the
expediency of further modernization of the activities of the pre-trial
investigation bodies and the court. These provisions include the optimization
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of: interaction with electronic registers; transfer of requests, statements,
complaints directly through the electronic case system; conducting court
proceedings in electronic and digital format.
At the legislative level, Ukraine should provide for the possibility of
introducing, during the period of war or a state of emergency, a sp+ecial
mode of operation of the court, which would regulate the features of
the remote form of judicial proceedings in video conference mode, the
participation of judges remotely in court proceedings in the order of written
proceedings, the procedure for signing court decisions and procedural
documents , including a qualied electronic signature without drawing up
or with a delay in drawing up their original in paper form.
Bibliographic References
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E-LITIGATION: INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND BENEFITS OF
IMPLEMENTATION. 2019. Available online. In: https://cutt.ly/
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Esta revista fue editada en formato digital y publicada
en octubre de 2023, por el Fondo Editorial Serbiluz,
Universidad del Zulia. Maracaibo-Venezuela
Vol.41 Nº 79
