Claims Of Crime-Related Amnesia In Forensic Patients
Abstract
Many authors assume that crime-related amnesia arises from the stressful nature of crimes and/or drug intoxication at the time crimes are committed. The current study examined prevalence and correlates of crime-related amnesia in a German (n=180) and a Dutch (n=128) sample of forensic inmates. More specifically, patients claiming amnesia and control patients were compared with regard to their intelligence, criminal backgrounds, and psychiatric diagnoses. In contrast to the popular stress-dissociation interpretation, stressful features of the crime were not found to be related to claims of amnesia. Neither alcohol nor drug intoxication, nor psychotic episodes could fully account for claims of memory loss. Interestingly, amnesia claims were especially prevalent among recidivists. This suggests that such claims are the product of a learning process. Thus, it may well be that those who are familiar with the penal system may have experienced the advantages of claiming amnesia.