This chapter introduces the social and cultural development of Lithuanian society from 1990 to 2023 and examines how these changes have shaped public perceptions of crime and punishment. It explores the social and cultural factors underlying manifestations of punitiveness, linking empirical data on Lithuanian society with the theories of Émile Durkheim, David Garland, and Robert Agnew. The chapter shows that in the early years of independence, marked by social tension, unemployment, and rising crime, punitive attitudes were largely driven by emotion and demands for retribution. In later years, following Lithuania’s accession to the EU and NATO, improving economic conditions, and declining crime rates, a growing sense of security contributed to a shift toward less punitive and more rational, human rights–oriented perspectives. The chapter concludes that recent developments indicate a gradual transition from retributive criminal policy toward a restorative justice model, in which crime is understood as a social conflict to be addressed through dialogue and restored accountability rather than punishment alone.