Abstract
The role that empirical and conceptual data plays in psychiatric forensic evaluation is a crucial element in the relationship between neuroscience and law, which is one of neuroethics newer and most fascinating issues. In fact, to justify the use of neuroscientific data in Courts, we have to demonstrate how, when and where the contribution of neuroscience may be relevant. In order to implement cognitive neuroscience adequately in legal issues, the correlation between data from cerebral anatomical lesions, functional abnormalities, neuro-biochemical imbalances, genetic susceptibility and affective disorders with misconduct (for example: aggressive, impulsive or violent behaviour), need to be clarified. Moreover, this correlation has to be related to the notion of juridical liability. A neurocognitive model may therefore result useful to elucidate the growing body of neurophysiological data currently available in the psychiatric forensic evaluations. We will present four different views that support the consistency of the model.