Criminal responsibility evaluations: Benchmarking in different countries

Claudia Pouls; Inge Jeandarme; Hasanen Al-Taiar; John Bradford; Wim Canton; Marianne Kristiansson; Florence Thibaut; Veerle Verreyt; Norbert Konrad

doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2022.101775

Criminal responsibility evaluations: Benchmarking in different countries

Int J Law Psychiatry. 2022 Mar-Apr:81:101775. doi: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2022.101775. Epub 2022 Jan 20.

Authors

Claudia Pouls¹, Inge Jeandarme², Hasanen Al-Taiar³, John Bradford⁴, Wim Canton⁵, Marianne Kristiansson⁶, Florence Thibaut⁷, Veerle Verreyt⁸, Norbert Konrad⁹

Affiliations

¹ Knowledge Center Forensic Psychiatric Care, OPZC Rekem, Daalbroekstraat 106, 3621 Rekem, Belgium. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Knowledge Center Forensic Psychiatric Care, OPZC Rekem, Daalbroekstraat 106, 3621 Rekem, Belgium. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ The Oxford Clinic, Littlemore Mental Health Centre, OX4 4XN, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Forensic Psychiatrist Saint Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Professor Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 100 W. 5th St., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
⁵ Willemshuys, Van der Does de Willeboissingel 5, 5211 CA Den Bosch, the Netherlands. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ National Board of Forensic Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 206, Se-101 24 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ University Hospital Cochin-Tarnier, INSERM U1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of Paris, 89 rue d'Assas, 75006 Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Central Prison of Leuven, Geldenaaksevest 64, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ Institute for Forensic Psychiatry, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Oranienburger Straße 285, 13437 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 35066422
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2022.101775

Abstract

Forensic mental health experts play a crucial role in criminal responsibility evaluations. However, the quality of these assessments has at time come under scrutiny and has been heavily criticized. A literature review revealed significant differences between countries concerning legal frameworks and procedures for conducting these assessments. The findings suggest that although some countries can be seen as a "role model", there still is room for improvement.

Keywords: Criminal responsibility; Forensic psychiatric evaluation; Forensic psychiatric expert; Forensic psychiatry; Insanity defense.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Benchmarking
Criminals* / psychology
Expert Testimony
Forensic Psychiatry
Humans
Insanity Defense
Mental Disorders* / psychology