Annotation

The article analyzes criminal laws of the Russian Federation, places special emphasis on the study of emotional conditions able to affect consciousness and volition of an individual in committing a crime. It is shown that one such condition is extreme emotional distress defined as a sudden severe disturbance caused by violence, abuse, or serious insult to the victim, as well as other illegal or immoral actions, or inaction of the victim. The author argues that extreme emotional distress may result from a prolonged stressful situation arising from systemic illegal behavior or moral pressure. It is highlighted that this phenomenon represents a boundary condition between a normal emotional reaction and a mental disorder, making it particularly important in criminal law assessment of conduct of an individual. A conclusion is reached that the problems arising in a qualification of a criminal act and assessment of extreme emotional distress are largely explained by changes in socioeconomic conditions, development of the society in general, political situation, and other factors influencing these processes.