Criminal law and criminality in the Baltic countries. Main trends (comparative analysis)

Abstract

Main trends in criminal justice in the three Baltic countries were investigated. The research has shown quite different (even opposite) trends in criminal law and criminal procedure, on the one hand, in Lithuania and Latvia, and, on tne other one, in Estonia. The former two countries have been developing rather restrictive, repressive and on strict criminal punishment based criminal policy. Contrary to this, Estonia has developed rather liberal policy. But most recent trends in Estonia also show disappointment with the liberal policy and a turn to a more rigid one.