Diminished capacity and its importance

This article analyses diminished capacity in Lithuanian penal law: its historical development, peculiarities of instilment, its content, its importance, also questions of its evaluation and occurring problems. Whereas the institution of diminished capacity is quite wide, it includes not only its content, content’s criteria ant their features, but it also determines criminal liability of an individual, foresees the application of punitive and forced medical measures, therefore in this article diminished capacity is analyzed within limits of Lithuanian penal law, with brief overlook of similar institutions implemented in penal law of other countries. Special attention is paid to the medical and juridical criteria of the content of diminished capacity, the disclosure of their content, peculiarities and means of their evaluation. Due to that most common mental affections that determine the measurement of above-mentioned criteria are discussed. Moreover the relation of age and diminished capacity and attribution of social immaturity to the medical criterion are researched. Apart of all mentioned above, diminished capacity relations with the state of affect and special postnatal state of women is analyzed likewise crimes associated with aforesaid states are also scrutinized. The institution of diminished capacity in Lithuanian penal law is quite „young“ therefore its practice of its implementation is still shaped. Also, according to the practise of Lithuanian courts, the main problems of implementation and regulation of diminished capacity are tried to point out and possible solutions are suggested