The effect of personality disorder on criminal responsibility, with special regard to psychopathy
Abstract
The issue of personality disorder as a possible factor in criminal responsibility and sentencing emerges from time to time both in international and in Hungarian professional discourses. The criminal legal relevance of personality disorders is determined by their overrepresentation among offenders and their strong link to criminality. The paper summarizes in an interdisciplinary context the characteristics of personality disorders influencing the legal evaluation, especially discussing the criminologically relevant cognitive and affective dysfunctions associated with psychopathy. The concluding paragraph with a thought- provoking intent briefly poses a few dilemmas concerning the criminal legal assessment of the discussed mental disorder.
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