Forensic Neuroscience and the Law

The application of neuroscience in the criminal justice system has expanded broadly in the last decade or so. Neuroscience evidence can come to court through medical history, neuropsychological testing, brain imaging, and other collateral informant claims of brain injury and/or neurological disorder. The connection between brain dysfunction and violence may be related not only to structural damage or neurocognitive impairment but also to neurochemical, neurophysiological, and functional disturbances that are not detectable by conventional neurodiagnostic methods. Evaluating a defendant's mental state at the time of the instant offense is a common criminal forensic mental health referral. Forensic neuropsychological and neuroimaging assessment may provide information applicable to structured professional judgment type of risk assessments. Neuroscientists recently examined the brains of more than 800 prisoners and found reduced gray matter in homicide offenders.