Psychiatric criteria of legal responsibility after the consumption of alcohol: The German situation

Journal/Book: Eur Addict Res. 1998; 4: Allschwilerstrasse 10, CH-4009 Basel, Switzerland. Karger. 107-112.

Abstract: Psychiatry deals with addiction but it is not concerned very much about the symptomatology of acute alcohol intoxication. This causes problems in connection with the legal system: intoxication is the most frequent cause of diminished legal responsibility in Germany, and judges want to have a system to assess the grade of intoxication as simply and reliably as possible. So they found the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to be a safe indication. But the BAC has various effects not only on different people but also on the same person in different situations: other factors are influential, i.e. Alcohol habituation and physical condition, personality, mood and situation. Therefore it is necessary to describe the typical syndromes of intoxication and their dependency on BAC.

Note: Article Krober HL, Free Univ Berlin, Inst Forens Psychiat, Limonenstr 27, D-12203 Berlin, GERMANY

Keyword(s): alcohol intoxication; legal responsibility; alcohol habituation; psychiatric criteria; BAC, blood alcohol concentration; PASSION; CRIMES

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