Assessment of imputability in a case of murder with dissociation

Abstract

Introduction: Imputability in criminal cases is a main element with regard to possible variations in sentencing with the application of mitigating or exonerating factors, due to the impairment of the cognitive and/or voli tional capacities of the accused during the commission of the crime. A psychopathological disorder that affects the cognition and volition of the individual is dissociation. This paper presents the evaluation process of a murder case with dissociative components at the time of the crime. Method: The documentation provided by the legal representative of the accused was analyzed, in addition to the performance of a psychological evaluation process through interviews in an exclusively forensic context and complementary evaluation tests. Results: The results of each of the tests applied are described, as well as a functional analysis and a forensic formulation model. Conclusion: A lack of social skills and coping strategies, perceived threats within the conflict-filled relationship with the victim, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), provoked fear and anger in the examinee. These states annulled his cognitive and volitional capacities due to the dissociative symptomatology associated with dere alization, depersonalization, and dissociative amnesia. This symptomatology partially overrode the cognitive and volitional capacities of the examinee and triggered the fatal outcome. However, future research is needed to further investigate the causal relationship between these disorders and the commission of violent crimes such as homicide.