Determine If Neuro Psychological Testimony Should Be Allowed In Court - 275 Words

Determine If Neuro Psychological Testimony Should Be Allowed In Court (Essay Sample) Content: Criminal behaviourLaDuke, Locklair, Heilbrun, (2018), observe that for quite a long time now, expert testimony has been used in courtrooms during trials of defendants thought or confirmed to have mild brain damage, and it has had far-reaching consequences. Due to such expert testimony, many long sentences have been commuted to short sentences; few have been extended. Medical diagnoses like CT scans of the brain are not enough information for the jury to make an informed decision, Kaufmann, (2016). A CT scan is very simplistic in legal terms and if relied upon, a jury is bound to make terrible judgements. Therefore, there is need for an expert who understands deeply the cognitive processes of a brain-damaged defendant in order to shed more light on the behaviours and mannerisms of such a person.However, Hardcastle, Lamb, (2018), warn that it is important to acknowledge at the outset that such testimonies can be inappropriately applied for some ungodly ends. This notw ithstanding, neuropsychological testimonies are indispensable in determining court cases, Leonard, (2015). It is therefore important for the justice system to find appropriate ways of accommodating them. Personally, I believe that expert testimony is part of a body of testimony that is given in court during trials. It would be improper for the jury to solely base their decisions on the neuropsychologists testimony. Testimonies from experts like medical doctors, who perform the actual diagnoses, should also be factored in so that the testimony by the neuropsychologists can be properly contextualised. The intention is to keep the testimony objective and to avoid any kind of foul play that may lead to the defendant to be wrongly convicted or wrongly acquitted, Hardcastle, Lamb, (2018).ReferencesLaDuke, C., Locklair, B.,...