Research Networks

Within the general topic of criminal responsibility, certain specific issues stand out as particularly important. In the nation's largest cities, from 55-90% of people arrested for a felony test positively for a controlled substance or alcohol, and 30% of state prisoners and 40% of federal prisoners are incarcerated on drug-related charges. It has also been estimated that around 25% of violent criminals in prisons have psychopathy, a condition marked by diminished brain function. The remaining crimes are committed mostly by people who are medically normal. These statistics explain why it is natural to focus on the topics of addiction, differing brains, and medically normal decision-making.

Each of these problems can be investigated fruitfully by neuroscience. Neuroscientists have studied brain variation for a long time, and they have recently made striking advances in understanding the mechanisms behind normal choices and addiction, including the neural circuits that create desires and enable us to inhibit action. After some gaps are filled, this solid neuroscience will be ready to be applied to the law. We should be able to fill these gaps using recent technology and techniques, though we cannot be sure what science will reveal until the hard work is done.

For these reasons, the Law and Neuroscience Project includes three networks on these central aspects of criminal responsibility: diminished brains, addiction, and medically normal decision-making. Each network is co-directed by a neuroscientist and a legal expert:

Network on Differing Brains
(directed by Michael Gazzaniga and Hank Greely)

Network on Addiction and Antisocial Behavior
(directed by Stephen Morse and Robert Desimone)

Network on Decision-making
(directed by Marc Raichle and Owen Jones)

Each network will meet at least three times per year, and all of the networks will meet together at least once per year, in conjunction with an annual conference. One initial goal will be to identify gaps in our current knowledge that need to be filled in order to make progress on pressing legal issues. When these issues are identified, the Project will issue a call for proposals on research to fill those gaps.