Introduction. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the article presents different authors' positions on the presence ofthe inquiry in a shortened form as a separate form of preliminary investigationin the criminal process, considers the features of this form of preliminary investigation, its advantages and problematic issues arising in the process of investigation. The comparison is made between the inquiry in a shortened form and foreign police inquiry, as well as the protocol form of inquiry and the inquiry in a shortened form, the author's position on the issue under consideration is presented. Methods. The methodological basis of the research consists of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction) and specific scientific methods of legal research (historical-legal, systemic, sociological, comparative-legal, statistical, formal-logical). Results. The conducted research shows that inquiry in a shortened form copes with its function, and justifies its expediency as a form of preliminary investigation, but needs further improvement. The directions of improvement are related to the possibility of the application of the inquiry in a shortened form to non-obvious crimes, when a person who committed a crime is established within a reasonable period of time, as well as with the restriction of the rights of the victim and the suspect to change their decision in conducting this type of preliminary investigation. The author's definition of the inquiry in a shortened form is submitted.