The Various Faces of Vulnerability: Offering Neurointerventions to Offenders

Sjors Ligthart; Emma Dore-Horgan; Gerben Meynen

doi:10.1093/jlb/lsad009

The Various Faces of Vulnerability: Offering Neurointerventions to Offenders

Sjors Ligthart
, Emma Dore-Horgan
, Gerben Meynen

University of Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

In recent years, we have witnessed considerable progress in neurotechnologies that visualize or alter a person's brain and mental features. In the near future, some of these technologies could possibly be used to change neural parameters of high-risk behavior in criminal offenders, often referred to as neurointerventions. The idea of delivering neurointerventions to criminal justice populations has raised fundamental normative concerns, but some authors have argued that offering neurointerventions to convicted offenders could be permissible. However, such offers raise normative concerns too. One prominent worry that is often emphasized in the literature, relates to the vulnerability of convicted offenders in prison and forensic patients in mental health facilities. In this paper, we aim to show that as far as vulnerability is considered relevant within the context of offering medical interventions to offenders, it could contribute to arguments against as well as in favor of these offers.

Original language	English
Article number	lsad009
Pages (from-to)	1-18
Number of pages	18
Journal	Journal of Law and the Biosciences
Volume	10
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/jlb/lsad009
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This paper was funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO Vici grant VI.C.201.067). The contribution of EDH was also funded by the Wellcome Trust (Grant number 217709/Z/19/Z).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Duke University School of Law, Harvard Law School, Oxford University Press, and Stanford Law School.

Funding

This paper was funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO Vici grant VI.C.201.067). The contribution of EDH was also funded by the Wellcome Trust (Grant number 217709/Z/19/Z).

Funders	Funder number
Wellcome Trust	217709/Z/19/Z
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek	VI.C.201.067

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

human rights
neurorehabilitation
vulnerability

Access to Document

10.1093/jlb/lsad009Licence: CC BY

lsad009Final published version, 410 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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The Various Faces of Vulnerability: Offering Neurointerventions to Offenders

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this