Diminished Criminal Responsibility due to Non-Psychotic Disorders, a Comparative Study of Criminal Law of Iran and Penal Code of Germany

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD student in Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Humanities and Law, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran.

2 Associate Prof., Department of Law, Faculty of Humanities and Law, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran

Abstract

In the upcoming article, we will compare the status of criminal law system of Iran and the penal code of Germany regarding diminished criminal responsibility due to Non-Psychotic Disorders, with a descriptive analytical method. “Diminished criminal responsibility” is a type of responsibility which is in the middle of full criminal responsibility and lack of criminal responsibility, and it is applied in cases where non-psychotic disorders lead to impairment of perception and control power of the criminal as well. German legislator (in the form of article 21th of the German penal code) pays full attention to the issue of diminished Criminal Responsibility due to non-psychotic disorders. The criminal codes after the Islamic revolution of Iran, including the Islamic penal code of 1392, in comparison with the criminal codes before the Islamic revolution, have had a regressive course in the issue of diminished criminal responsibility. Anticipating the diminished criminal responsibility in the case of criminals with non-psychotic disorders in Ta’azirat punishments and thinking about solutions regarding the punishments of Hodoud and Qisas should be followed seriously.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Alimardani, A., Rayejian Asli, M., Vahedi, M., & Khani, M. (2017). “The Influence of Psychological Disorders on Criminal Behavior and Different Degrees of Criminal Responsibility”. Journal of Medical Council of Iran, 35(1), 68-78. Access Link:  http://jmciri.ir/article-1-2697-fa.html. ]In Persian[ 
Bohlander, M. (2022). The German Criminal Code, Translated by Asli Abbasi, Tehran: Majd, 2nd edition. ]In Persian[
Davarzani, M. (2009). Investigation of Criminal Liability Due to Mental Disorders Other than Insanity in Iranian Criminal Law, Masters dissertation, Qom University, Faculty of Law. ]In Persian[
Edworthy, Rachel, Sampson, Stephanie & vollm, Birgit. (2016). “Inpatient forensic-psychiatric care: Legal frameworks and service provision in three European countries”. International Journal of Law and Psychology, 47, 18-27. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.02.027.
Elham, Gh., & Borhani, M. (2018). Introduction to General Part of Criminal Law (Crime & Criminal), Vol. 1, Tehran: Mizan, 4th edition. ]In Persian[
Freckelton SC, Ian. (2008). “The Concept of Diminished Responsibility in Supranational Criminal Law (Psychiatric Approach)”. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 15(1), 171-173. DOI:10.1080/13218710801979100.
Gholami, N., Abbasi, M.,  & Soltani Kuhbanuni, S. (2018). “ Insanity Concept in Islamic Punishment Law: Subjectivism or Objectivism”. Medical Law Journal, 12 (44), 77-94. Access Link:  http://ijmedicallaw.ir/article-1-858-fa.html. ]In Persian[ 
Hoseini, S. M. & E’temadi, A. (2015). “Insanity as an excuse in Iranian and English law”. Comparative Law Review, 6(2), 491-517. DOI:  10.22059/jcl.2015.55773. ]In Persian[
Johnston, E. Lea, Runyan, Kendall D., Silva, Fernando José, & Maldonado Fuentes, Francisco. (2023). “Diminished Criminal Responsibility: A Multinational Comparative Review”. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 91, 1-39. Access Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2023.101919.
Konrad, Norbert, & Lau, Steffen. (2010). “Dealing with the mentally ill in the criminal justice system in Germany”. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 33(4), 236-240.
Kroeber, Hans-Ludwig. (2007). “The Historical Debate on Brain and Legal Responsibility—Revisited”. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 25(2), 251-261. DOI: 10.1002/bsl.753.
Kroeber, Hans Ludwig, & Lau, Steffen. (2000). “Bad or Mad? Personality Disorders and Legal Responsibility—The German Situation”. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 18(5), 679- 690.
DOI: 10.1002/1099-0798(200010)18:5<679: aid-bsl405>3.0.co;2-l. 
Mirsaeedi, S. M. (2007). Criminal Responsibility, Vol. 1, Tehran: Mizan, 2nd edition. ]In Persian[
Mirsaeidi, S. M., & Gholami, N. (2018). “Bipolar Personality Disorder from the Viewpoint of the Criminal Liability”. Journal of Criminal Law Research, 6(22), 9-39. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22054/jclr.2018.15964.1298. ]In Persian[ 
Mohseni, M. (1997). Criminal Responsibility, Tehran: Ganjedanesh, 1st edition. ]In Persian[
Morse, Stephen J. (2003). “Diminished Rationality, Diminished Responsibility”. Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law, 1(1), 289-308. Access Link: http://hdl.handle.net/1811/72575.
Muller-Isberner, Rudiger, Freese, Roland, Jockel, Dieter & Gonzalez Cabeza, Sara. (2000). “Forensic Psychiatric Assessment and Treatment in Germany”. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 23(5–6), 467-480.  DOI:10.1016/S0160-2527(00)00056-X.
Salari, A., & Qomashi, S. (2025). “Diminished Criminal Responsibility due to Non-Psychotic Disorders in Iran’s Criminal Law”. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 12(24), 349-380. DOI:10.22034/jclc.2024.485922.2061. ]In Persian[
Shabani, H. (2019). The Effect of Mental Disorders on Criminal Responsibility in Iranian and American law, Masters dissertation, Shahid Beheshti University, Faculty of Law. ]In Persian[
Shakeri, A., & Taherian, M. (2018). “The Scope of Insanity Defense in Criminal System of Iran and the United States of America”. Journal of Comparative Law, 5(1), 71-90. DOI: 10.22096/law.2018.31925. ]In Persian[ 
Shambayati, H. (1993). General Part of Criminal Law, Vol. 2, Tehran: Pazhang, 2nd edition. ]In Persian[
Wetzell, Richard  F. (2009). “Psychiatry and criminal justice in modern Germany, 1880—1933”. Journal of European Studies, 39(3), 270–289. DOI:10.1177/0047244109106682.