The article is devoted to topical issues of evidence in criminal proceedings: legal norms are analysed, problems of verifying the reliability of evidence are identified, and the need for meaningful qualitative criteria for their assessment is substantiated. A model is proposed that determines the materiality, value, and properties of evidence that affect the quality of sentencing decisions. It is emphasized that the court must evaluate each piece of evidence individually, taking into account its value and self-sufficiency to understand the evidentiary value.