Legality of Applying Coercive Medical Measures in Criminal Law

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the legality of the application of coercive medical measures and to develop recommendations to improve the legislative regulation of their use. The study included data on the number of offenders with mental disorders; the empirical background was the decision of the European Court of Human Rights on the application of coercive medical measures; provisions of the legislation of 31 countries. Methods of system approach, comparison, descriptive analysis, pragmatic approach, prognosis were used. The national criminal law of most states regulates the application of coercive medical measures to persons who have committed a crime in a state of limited sanity or insanity or have acquired it before sentencing or during the execution of the sentence, but its practical application causes several complications. It is concluded that the legislative definition of coercive medical measures corresponds to human rights legislation. But there are problems with its practical application. Proposals were made to amend national and international legislation: to broaden the range of grounds for the application of coercive medical measures; regulate the possibility of early termination of a coercive medical measure; oblige the courts to determine the appropriate terms.