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Neuroscience and legal determination of criminal responsibility

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 7, pages 311–318 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Neuroscience is increasingly identifying associations between biology and violence that appear to offer courts evidence relevant to criminal responsibility. In addition, in a policy era of 'zero tolerance of risk', evidence of biological abnormality in some of those who are violent, or biological markers of violence, may be seized on as a possible basis for preventive detention in the interest of public safety. However, there is a mismatch between questions that the courts and society wish answered and those that neuroscience is capable of answering. This poses a risk to the proper exercise of justice and to civil liberties.

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Figure 1: Different patterns of brain activation in criminal pyschopaths and control subjects.
Figure 2: Differences in processing of negative emotions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK

    Nigel Eastman

  2. the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK

    Colin Campbell

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  1. Nigel Eastman
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  2. Colin Campbell
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Correspondence to Nigel Eastman.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Eastman, N., Campbell, C. Neuroscience and legal determination of criminal responsibility. Nat Rev Neurosci 7, 311–318 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn1887

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