title: Behavioral genetics and criminal responsibility at the courtroom.
abstract: Several questions arise from the recent use of behavioral genetic research data in the courtroom. Ethical issues concerning the influence of biological factors on human free will, must be considered when specific gene patterns are advocated to constrain court's judgment, especially regarding violent crimes. Aggression genetics studies are both difficult to interpret and inconsistent, hence, in the absence of a psychiatric diagnosis, genetic data are currently difficult to prioritize in the courtroom. The judge's probabilistic considerations in formulating a sentence must take into account causality, and the latter cannot be currently ensured by genetic data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: roberto.tatarelli@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tatarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy; Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Fondazione "P. Alberto Mileno Onlus", Vasto, CH, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Casale
authors.affiliation: Unit of Hematology, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tatarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Villa Rosa, Suore Ospedaliere of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serata
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Villa Rosa, Suore Ospedaliere of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rapinesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Georgios D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kotzalidis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Villa Rosa, Suore Ospedaliere of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Girardi
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D033141:Genetic Determinism; D005824:Genetics, Behavioral; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior
keywords: Criminal responsibility; Genetics; Liability; Sentence; Violent crimes