Vulnerability Assessment of Participants in Lithuanian Criminal Proceedings in the Context of EU Regulations

Abstract

Despite the applicable general principles and essential standards provided for in the law, the right of vulnerable persons (i.e. children under 18 years of age and vulnerable adults, for example, adults with mental disabilities) to a fair hearing at different stages of criminal proceedings in the EU is not yet ensured to the full extent. Based on both EU and Lithuanian legal regulation, this article will review only the principal provisions concerning the allocation of victims, suspects, and accused persons to the category of “vulnerable persons”. Due to the scope of the article, the vulnerability identification procedure falls outside this research.

Keywords

• criminal proceedings
• assessment of vulnerability
• vulnerable victim
• vulnerability of suspected or accused persons