Forensic Psychiatric Investigation of Cases Evaluated as a "Transitory Reason" within the Scope of "Article 34/1" of Turkish Penal Code

Öz

Objective: According to criminal theories, for a person to be punished for an act that is defined as a crime, he/she must have the "ability of fault". Mental illnesses affect a person's ability to perceive and direct his/her behavior. Apart from the conditions affecting the human will and guilt such as mental illness, there are temporary reasons that weaken or eliminate the human will and the effect of these reasons on criminal responsibility is regulated in Article 34 of the TPC. Our aim in this study is to examine the forensic and clinical characteristics of the cases considered a "temporary cause" within the scope of TPC 34/1. Methods: Cases that were evaluated as a "temporary reason" within the scope of TPC 34/1 were selected from the cases in which criminal responsibility was requested to be evaluated by the XXX between 2013 and 2022. Sociodemographic and forensic psychiatric characteristics of the relevant cases were analyzed. Results: In total, it was observed that a total of 8 cases, including three epilepsy (postictal period excitation/confusion), two encephalitis/encephalopathy, one loss of consciousness due to hypoglycaemia, one hyperactive delirium and one parasomnia, were decided within the scope of the relevant article. All of the cases evaluated within the scope of TCK 34/1 were male and the average age was 47.75 (± 17.57). In addition to offences involving physical violence (5/8) such as wounding, attempted murder, causing death by negligence and damage to property, offences involving verbal violence (2/8) such as insult were predominant. Conclusion: In cases where a "temporary cause" is considered as a "transient cause" under Article 34/1 of the TPC in the assessment of criminal responsibility, it is important to assess each case in a comprehensive manner and to determine the extent to which the "transient cause" played a role in the commission of the offence.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Criminal Liability
• Delirium
• Encephalitis
• Epilepsy
• Hypoglycaemia
• Parasomnia

Türk Ceza Kanunu “Madde 34/1” Kapsamında “Geçici Bir Neden” Olarak Değerlendirilen Vakaların Adli Psikiyatrik Açıdan İncelenmesi

Öz

Amaç: Ceza teorilerine göre bir kimsenin işlediği, suç olarak tanımlanan bir eyleminden ötürü cezalandırılabilmesi için “kusur yeteneği”ne sahip olması gerekmektedir. Akıl hastalıkları, kişinin algılama ve davranışlarını yönlendirme yeteneğini etkilemektedir. Akıl hastalığı gibi insan iradesini ve kusurluluğu etkileyen durumlar dışında insan iradesini zayıflatan veya ortadan kaldıran geçici nedenler mevcut olup bu nedenlerin ceza sorumluluğuna etkisi TCK 34. madde de düzenlenmiştir. Bizim bu çalışmadaki amacımız, TCK 34/1 kapsamında “geçici bir neden” olarak değerlendirilen vakaların adli ve klinik özelliklerini incelemektir. Yöntem: 2013-2022 yılları arasında XXX’den ceza sorumluluğunun değerlendirilmesi istenen vakalardan TCK 34/1 kapsamında “geçici bir neden” olarak değerlendirilen vakalar seçilmiştir. İlgili olguların sosyodemografik ve adli psikiyatrik özellikleri incelenmiştir. Bulgular: Toplamda; üç epilepsi (postiktal dönem eksitasyon/konfüzyon), iki ensefalit/ensefalopati, bir hipoglisemiye bağlı bilinç kaybı, bir hiperaktif deliryum ve bir de parasomni olmak üzere toplam 8 vakada ilgili madde kapsamında karar verildiği görülmüştür. TCK 34/1 kapsamında değerlendirilen vakaların tamamı erkek olup yaş ortalamaları 47.75 (± 17.57) olarak tespit edilmiştir. Yaralama, öldürmeye teşebbüs, taksirle ölüme sebebiyet verme, mala zarar verme gibi fiziksel şiddet (5/8) içeren suçlar yanında hakaret gibi sözel şiddet (2/8) ihtiva eden suçlar ağırlıktadır. Sonuç: Ceza sorumluluğunun değerlendirilmesinde TCK madde 34/1 kapsamında “geçici bir neden” olarak ele alınan vakalarda her bir vakanın kapsamlı bir şekilde değerlendirilmesi ve “geçici durumun” suçun işlenmesinde ne ölçüde rol oynadığını belirlemeleri önemlidir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ceza Sorumluluğu
• Deliryum
• Ensefalit
• Epilepsi
• Hipoglisemi
• Parasomni

Kaynakça

1. 1. Koca M, Üzülmez İ. Türk ceza hukuku genel hükümler: ceza hukukuna giriş, ceza kanununum uygulama alanı, suç teorisi, yaptırım teorisi: Seçkin; 2008.
2. 2. Kalis A. Failures of agency: Irrational behavior and self-understanding. 2011.
3. 3. Rogers R, Shuman D. Fundamentals of forensic practice: Mental health and criminal law: Springer Science & Business Media; 2006.
4. 4. Kandemir F, BÜKEN B, BÜKEN E, ERKOL Z. Kleptomani (Çalma Deliliği)’ye Yol Açan Faktörler ve Ceza Sorumluluğu’nun Değerlendirilmesi. Düzce Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi. 2014;1(2):21-4.
5. 5. Güzel D, Deligöz K. UYAP BİLİŞİM SİSTEMİNİN TÜRK YARGI SİSTEMİNDE KULLANILMASININ TOPLAM KALİTE YÖNETİMİ AÇISINDAN İNCELENMESİ UYAP. Bingöl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi. 2014;4(7):63-78.
6. 6. RS RSF, Acevedo C, Arzimanoglou A. et all. ILAE Official Report: A practical clinical definition of epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2014;55(4):475-82.
7. 7. Grant PE. Imaging the developing epileptic brain. Epilepsia. 2005;46:7-14.
8. 8. Hesdorffer DC, Ludvigsson P, Olafsson E, Gudmundsson G, Kjartansson O, Hauser WA. ADHD as a risk factor for incident unprovoked seizures and epilepsyin children. Archives of general psychiatry. 2004;61(7):731-6.

9. 9. Devinsky O. Effects of seizures on autonomic and cardiovascular function. Epilepsy currents. 2004;4(2):43-6.
10. 10. Mazzini L, Cossa FM, Angelino E, Campini R, Pastore I, Monaco F. Posttraumatic epilepsy: neuroradiologic and neuropsychological assessment of long‐term outcome. Epilepsia. 2003;44(4):569-74.
11. 11. Dodrill CB. Correlates of generalized tonic‐clonic seizures with intellectual, neuropsychological, emotional, and social function in patients with epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1986;27(4):399-411.
12. 12. Postolache TT, Wadhawan A, Can A, Lowry CA, Woodbury M, Makkar H, et al. Inflammation in traumatic brain injury. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. 2020;74(1):1-28.
13. 13. Malhotra S, Sahoo S, Balachander S. Acute and transient psychotic disorders: newer understanding. Current psychiatry reports. 2019;21:1-11.
14. 14. Trimble MR, Schmitz B. The neuropsychiatry of epilepsy: Cambridge University Press; 2011.
15. 15. Aaronson AL, Bordelon SD, Brakel SJ, Morrison H. A review of the role of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in criminal court. The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. 2021;49(1):60.
16. 16. Association AD. Standards of medical care in diabetes—2019 abridged for primary care providers. Clinical diabetes: a publication of the American Diabetes Association. 2019;37(1):11.
17. 17. Kernbach-Wighton G, Sprung R, Püschel K. On the diagnosis of hypoglycemia in car drivers—including a review of the literature. Forensic science international. 2001;115(1-2):89-94.
18. 18. Gold AE, MacLeod KM, Deary IJ, Frier BM. Hypoglycemia-induced cognitive dysfunction in diabetes mellitus: effect of hypoglycemia unawareness. Physiology & behavior. 1995;58(3):501-11.
19. 19. Packer IK. Evaluation of criminal responsibility: Oxford University Press; 2009.
20. 20. Marrero D, Edelman S. Hypoglycemia and driving performance. Diabetes care. 2000;23(2):146
21. 21. McGuinness T, Lipsedge M. ‘Excited Delirium’, acute behavioural disturbance, death and diagnosis. Psychological medicine. 2022;52(9):1601-11.
22. 22. Heck AL, Herrick SM. Geriatric considerations in restoration of competence to stand trial: Two cases of impaired cognition. Journal of forensic psychology practice. 2007;7(2):73-82.
23. 23. Inouye SK. Delirium in older persons. New England journal of medicine. 2006;354(11):1157-65.
24. 24. American Psychiatric Association D, Association AP. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5: American psychiatric association Washington, DC; 2013.
25. 25. Bigenwald A, Chambon V. Criminal responsibility and neuroscience: no revolution yet. Frontiers in psychology. 2019;10:1406.
26. 26. Morse SJ, Roskies AL. A Primer on Criminal Law and Neuroscience: A contribution of the Law and Neuroscience Project, supported by the MacArthur Foundation: Oxford University Press; 2013.
27. 27. Bramati P, Bruera E. Delirium in palliative care. Cancers. 2021;13(23):5893.
28. 28. Lipowski Z. Delirium. Acute confusional states. 1990.
29. 29. Shaffer HJ, Nelson SE, LaPlante DA, LaBrie RA, Albanese M, Caro G. The epidemiology of psychiatric disorders among repeat DUI offenders accepting a treatment-sentencing option. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology. 2007;75(5):795.
30. 30. Hirshkowitz M, Sharafkhaneh A, Kryger M. Clinical and Laboratory assessment of sleep-related breathing disorders. Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2006;1(4):449-60.
31. 31. Pressman MR. Factors that predispose, prime and precipitate NREM parasomnias in adults: clinical and forensic implications. Sleep medicine reviews. 2007;11(1):5-30.
32. 32. Dauvilliers Y, Jennum P, Plazzi G. Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and rapid eye movement sleep without atonia in narcolepsy. Sleep medicine. 2013;14(8):775-81.
33. 33. Smith DB, Craft BR, Collins J, Mattson RH, Cramer JA, 118 VCSG. Behavioral characteristics of epilepsy patients compared with normal controls. Epilepsia. 1986;27(6):760-8.