Neurointerventions for Criminal Offenders: Psychological Connectedness, Culpability and Justified Punishment
1Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Ethical Theory and Moral Practice : an International Forum
|March 12, 2026
Summary
Neurointerventions in criminal justice may reduce reoffending but risk diminishing personal identity. This could lessen an offender's culpability, potentially making continued punishment unjust and requiring sentence reassessment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience and Criminal Justice Ethics
- Philosophy of Personal Identity
- Legal and Criminological Theory
Background:
- Neurointerventions are explored as rehabilitative tools in criminal justice to reduce recidivism.
- Ethical discussions have primarily focused on autonomy and integrity, neglecting personal identity impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the ethical implications of neurointerventions on offenders' personal identity.
- To analyze how neurointervention-induced changes in psychological connectedness affect culpability and punishment proportionality.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical analysis based on Parfitian theory of personal identity (psychological connectedness).
- Ethical reasoning on the relationship between personal identity, culpability, and justified punishment.
Main Results:
- Neurointerventions may weaken psychological connections to an offender's past self.
- This weakening of psychological connectedness could diminish culpability linked to past actions.
- Reduced culpability may render existing sentences disproportionate and morally unjustified.
Conclusions:
- Neurointerventions raise novel ethical concerns regarding personal identity and culpability.
- A reassessment of sentences post-neurointervention may be necessary to ensure punishment remains proportional and morally justified.
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