The establishment of diminished responsibility is rather complicated in comparison to insanity, since it necessitates establishment of doubtless causal logical relation between the criminal situation and actiion.

To discover adaptive disturbances and socio-psychological peculiarities of persons with diminished responsibility.

Reviewing forensic psychiatric opinions in 162 cases of diminished responsibility established in Lithuania during 2006–2010 with a questionnaire created by the authors.

42% of the sample young males (18–29), 71% lower than education, 69% w/o profession and 76% unemployed, 83% no family, 82% no previous convictions, 56% acted under influence of alcohol, 45% trespassed against property, 31% -against human life and health. 79% confessed their perpetration. 120 had previous treatments in psychiatric hospitals (averagely 4 episodes) due to: mental retardation of various degrees (35%), organic disorders (16%), schizophrenia group disorders (12%). 42 cases were diagnosed just during forensic psychiatric examination as mentally retarded (46%), organic disorders (32%) and schizophrenia remission (15%). Passivity and dependence were characteristic of 70% of the sample (lack of initiative, rigidity, difficulty in searching solutions of situations). Asocial behaviour in childhood manifested in 84%, superficial judgments, low self-consciousness in 64%. 55% of them are benevolent, capable to establish and maintain emotional bonds.

Social factors and specific personality features influence criminality of persons with diminished responsibility. Emotional instability, suggestibility and lack of self-criticism restrain their resistance to temptation, capability to alternative actions in one or another situation.