Variations of Amnesia in Crime Amnesia; partial or complete memory loss. Amnesia is witnessed in three diverse states; dissociative, organic and malingered amnesia. All of which contain a lapse in memory recollection. However, each maintains a distinctive trigger. Criminals are exploiting the inadequate constraints of dissociative and organic amnesia in an effort to malinger amnesia in criminal trials. Although there are a number of perceived reasons why a person may become amnesic, either dissociative or organic, more research is necessary to focus the defining characteristics and limit the accessibility of amnesic defense to future offenders.
Dissociative Amnesia. “ ...he is likely to appear quite normal. The only suggestion that these …show more content…
The subjects were given specifics about a murder case; one group was instructed to play the role of an amnesic offender and the other group (control group) was told to do their best on a questionnaire regarding the case (Christianson, 2007). The results demonstrated that as the weeks progressed in the study, the amnesic offender group recalled less and less accurate information relating to the case. These test subjects have demonstrated the possibility of creating amnesia in a defensive setting, similar to repression. Although the subjects were not in any danger of criminal charges they adhered to their role by intentionally forcing information from their mind, simulating amnesia via …show more content…
The primary focus in memory of violent crimes has been placed on the victim 's recollection of the crime, not the offenders memories. Presently, victims of violent crimes have the tendency to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Highly associated with violent crimes and offenders claiming amnesia, PTSD presents conflicting data for psychologists to analyze in malingered and genuine amnesic defenses. The diagnosis of PTSD coincidentally similar to Amnesia is based on self-report, causing the possibility of utilization towards the avoidance of criminal punishment (Sparr 1996). Self diagnosed mental disorders appear frequently in criminal court cases, due to evaluations required to prove the disorder exists in the offender. Although PTSD has been researched extensively in war veterans the use of PTSD as a criminal defense is less focused on and requires psychological examinations and memory tests that will be described in detail later
Dissociative Amnesia. “ ...he is likely to appear quite normal. The only suggestion that these …show more content…
The subjects were given specifics about a murder case; one group was instructed to play the role of an amnesic offender and the other group (control group) was told to do their best on a questionnaire regarding the case (Christianson, 2007). The results demonstrated that as the weeks progressed in the study, the amnesic offender group recalled less and less accurate information relating to the case. These test subjects have demonstrated the possibility of creating amnesia in a defensive setting, similar to repression. Although the subjects were not in any danger of criminal charges they adhered to their role by intentionally forcing information from their mind, simulating amnesia via …show more content…
The primary focus in memory of violent crimes has been placed on the victim 's recollection of the crime, not the offenders memories. Presently, victims of violent crimes have the tendency to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Highly associated with violent crimes and offenders claiming amnesia, PTSD presents conflicting data for psychologists to analyze in malingered and genuine amnesic defenses. The diagnosis of PTSD coincidentally similar to Amnesia is based on self-report, causing the possibility of utilization towards the avoidance of criminal punishment (Sparr 1996). Self diagnosed mental disorders appear frequently in criminal court cases, due to evaluations required to prove the disorder exists in the offender. Although PTSD has been researched extensively in war veterans the use of PTSD as a criminal defense is less focused on and requires psychological examinations and memory tests that will be described in detail later