Is mediation applicable in the cases of serious crimes?

Nors mediacija pirmiausia buvo pradėta naudoti lengvų, nesunkių nusikaltimamų atveju, tačiau jos taikymo praktika rodo, jog šis konfliktų sprendimo būdas taikomas vis sunkesniems nusikaltimams. Egzistuoja nemažai šalių, kuriose mediacija tapo tradicine reagavimo į baudžiamuosius konfliktus forma. Remiantis šių valstybių patirtimi, mediacija gali sėkmingai funkcionuoti. Nemaža dalis valstybių svarsto apie mediacijos instituto įdiegimo galimybes. Tema aktuali tuo, kad nepaisant vis dažnesnio mediaciojos taikymo, egzituoja prieštaringos nuomonės, ar mediaciją galima taikyti tik baudžiamųjų nusižengimų ir nesunkių nusikaltimų atveju, ar mediacija taikytina ir sunkių nusikaltimų atveju. Magistrinio darbo tikslas – įvertinti, ar mediacija taikytina sunkių nusikaltimų atveju. Temos problematika tokia, kad nėra aiškios mediacijos ribos. Pagrindiniam darbo tikslo įgyvendinimui keliami šie uždaviniai: 1) Apibūdinti mediacijos sąvoką ir pagrindinius principus; 2) Apibūdinti mediacijos tikslą ir mediacijos principus baudžiamajame procese; 3) Apibūdinti baudžiamojo proceso paskirtį; 4) Palyginti mediacijos baudžiamajame procese paskirtį su baudžiamojo proceso paskirtimi; 5) Apibūdinti mediacijos naudingumą, išanalizuoti mediacijos poveikį kaltininkui ir nukentėjusiajam; 6) Palyginti mediacijos taikymo ribas užsienio šalyse. Darbe nagrinėjama lietuvių ir užsienio literatūra. Aprašoma mediacijos sąvoka ir išskiriami pagrindiniai principai. Atskleista, kad pagrindiniai mediacijos tikslai yra žalos atlyginimas, kaltininko ir nukentėjusiojo santykių normalizavimas. Taip pat aprašomi mediacijos principai baudžiamajame procese ir išskirami jų ypatumai, kaip labai reikšmingas pažymimas konfidencialumo principas, tačiau abejojama dėl kito mediacijos principo – nešališkumo įgyvendinimo. Atskleista, kad esminė baudžiamojo proceso paskirtis yra bausmė kaltininkui. Lyginama mediacijos paskirtis su baudžiamojo proceso paskirtimi. Lyginant mediacijos taikymo ribas užsinio šalyse atskleista, jog egzistuoja šalys, kuriose mediacija sunkių nusikaltimų atveju puikiai funkcionuoja. Apibūdinamas mediacijos naudingumas, išanalizuojamas mediacijos poveikis kaltininkui ir nukentėjusiajam. Padaryta, išvada, kad mediacija turi daugiau teigiamo poveikio nei neigiamo, sprendimai priimti mediacijos metu yra labiau noriai vykdomi šalių, nes yra priimami savanorišku šalių susitarimu. Atsižvelgiant į tai, mediacija yra taikytina sunkių nusikaltimų atveju, tačiau kiekvienu atveju reiktų atsižvelgti į individualias bylos aplinkybes, į kaltininko ir nukentėjusiojo norą. Iškelta hipotezė, kad mediacija nėra taikytina sunkių nusikaltimų atveju, nepatvirtinta.Although mediation was started to use in the cases of easy crime; however, practice shows that this way of resolving conflicts is applied for even more severe crimes. There are present lots of countries where mediation has become a traditional response to conflicts in crimes. Based on experience of these countries, mediation can perfectly operate. Besides, a large number of countries consider the possibilities for the implementation of the Institute of Mediation. Despite more frequent application of mediation, the master’s thesis is relevant, because there are different opinions if mediation is applicable only for misdemeanour or it is applicable for severe crime. The aim of the master’s thesis is to evaluate, if mediation is applicable for severe crimes. An issue of the topic is that there is no clear scope of mediation. As a result, the key objectives of the master‘s thesis there are as following: 1) To describe the concept of mediation and basic principles; 2) To describe the purpose of mediation and the principles of mediation in criminal proceedings; 3) To describe the purpose of cognitive process; 4) To compare the purpose of mediation in criminal proceedings with the purpose of criminal proceedings; 5) To describe the utility of mediation and to analyse the impact of mediation on the perpetrator and the victim; 6) To compare the scope of mediation in foreign countries. In the master’s thesis, there was analysed Lithuanian and foreign literature. The development of mediation has been described since its emergence. It is revealed that mediation is known to all cultures from the ancient times. A concept of mediation and the basic principles of mediation were described. Mediation is well applied as an alternative to the courts. It is very important for the parties to understand the essence of the principles of mediation. The basic principles of mediation to be signed out were as following - volunteering, confidentiality, mediator neutrality and impartiality, and acceptability. Volunteering helps to ensure the effectiveness of the parties’ contract. It is of great significance to note that this principle is applied only to private mediation. The principle of confidentiality is very important because it helps to reduce victimization. In the cases of violations of law or of public interest, the exception of confidentiality is applied. In addition, impartiality is a very important principle as it helps to ensure equality between the parties. The purpose of mediation in criminal proceedings was described. A purpose of mediation in criminal proceedings is to compensate the damage ant to normalize the relationship between a perpetrator and a victim. Principles of cognitive process coincide with the basic principles of mediation. The principle of confidentiality is very important in criminal process of mediation because it helps to reduce a risk of victimization but there may be a problem due to another very important principle of mediation – impartiality. The security principle also is very important in criminal mediation because it helps to prevent violence. Therefore, the purpose of the criminal proceedings was described. The main objective of the cognitive process is punishment. It is also important to determine the circumstances of a criminal offense correctly, based on evidence, in order not to convict an innocent person. The purpose of mediation in criminal proceedings was compared with the purpose of criminal proceedings. It was analysed how meditation can affect the feelings and emotions of its participants. It was disclosed that mediation has more positive than a negative effect. During the mediation, the perpetrator feel greater regret, the victim is less willing to take revenge. In master’s thesis, it is revealed that the party, more willingly executes decisions accepted during the mediation, because they are accepted voluntarily. The foreign countries were divided into three types of mediation: additional, integrated or alternative. The practice of mediation and the scope of mediation in European countries were compared. In most countries, sending a file to mediation depends on the prosecutor's discretion and the amount of the sanction. There are also countries where the case may be directed to mediation by a prosecutor if compensation is indemnified. The practice of applying mediation in countries also differs. There are countries where mediation works well in case of serious crimes. In some countries, mediation applies to small-scale crimes, but there are countries where mediation works well for dealing with serious crimes such as robbery, assassination, murder, and rape. The conclusion was made that mediation is applicable in the case of serious crime, but in each case, it is necessary to take into account individual circumstances of the case, the perpetrator’s and victim's opinion. Hypothesis that mediation is not applicable in the cases of serious crimes has not been approved