In jurisdictions following the doctrine of diminished responsibility, a person who kills another while suffering an abnormality of mind that substantially impairs mental responsibility will have the offence reclassified as:
- A Justifiable homicide, with no conviction
- B Murder, but with compulsory hospital treatment instead of prison
- C Manslaughter instead of murder ✓
- D Attempted murder, since intent was impaired
Correct answer: C. Manslaughter instead of murder
Explanation
Diminished responsibility, formalised in the English Homicide Act of 1957, is a partial defence: the act remains intentional killing, but because an abnormality of mind substantially reduced mental responsibility, the charge is downgraded from murder to manslaughter, allowing a non-capital sentence. It differs from the McNaughten verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, which removes criminal guilt entirely.
Reference: Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.