Criminal Responsibility

In adult court, criminal responsibility refers to the legal and moral obligation of individuals who have reached the age to be held accountable for their actions when they violate the law (Bartol & Bartol, 2022). This age is 18 in most jurisdictions, although it can vary depending on the state's legal system. When an adult commits a crime, they are then subject to prosecution and potential punishment under applicable laws.  The key factors of adult criminal responsibility are legal capacity, voluntary action, Mens Rea, Actus Reus, sentencing, and due process.

Article: The factors associated with forensic psychiatrists’ decisions in criminal responsibility and social dangerousness evaluations.

The article discusses the complexities of forensic psychiatric evaluations in criminal trials that focus on determining the defendant's responsibility and dangerousness. It highlights the importance of considering the defendant's mental state and psychiatric history when assessing their responsibility for a criminal defense (Mandarelli et al., 2019).

The research examined 302 forensic assessments to identify sociodemographic, clinical, and criminological factors that might influence the evaluations of responsibility and dangerousness (Mandarelli et al., 2019). The findings revealed that the individuals who were deemed not guilty because of insanity or with reduced responsibility displayed more psychiatric symptoms than those held criminally responsible. There were gender differences; female defendants were more frequently judged insane and reflected impairments from psychiatric disorders were more associated with insanity verdicts.

Forensic psychology professionals play a vital role in evaluating the individuals involved in legal proceedings, specifically those facing charges related to mental health. Their responsibilities encompassed conducting assessments of defendants to determine their mental state at the time of the alleged offense and their overall culpability. Clinicians widely acknowledge that assessing the defendant's criminal responsibility during the time of the offense is highly intricate, just as the techniques employed for this purpose are recognized to be complex law (Bartol & Bartol, 2022).

Forensic psychologists are tasked with identifying and evaluating psychiatric symptoms exhibited by defendants, including both positive symptoms and negative symptoms. Other factors they consider include manic excitement or disorganization, which may influence judgments of responsibility and dangerousness. Forensic psychology professionals are also responsible for interpreting their findings accurately and impartially, providing expert testimony, adhering to professional ethics, and conveying complex psychological concepts so that other court officials comprehend.

References

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2022). Introduction to forensic psychology: Research and application (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Mandarelli, G., Carabellese, F., Felthous, A. R., Parmigiani, G., Del Casale, A., Catanesi, R., Montalbò, D., & Ferracuti, S. (2019). The factors associated with forensic psychiatrists’ decisions in criminal responsibility and social dangerousness evaluations. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2019.101503