Neurocriminology and evidentiary standards in Indonesian courts

Zul Khaidir  Kadir; Nur Fadhilah  Mappaselleng

doi:10.55942/pssj.v6i1.786

Authors

Zul Khaidir Kadir Universitas Muslim Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7774-0790
Nur Fadhilah Mappaselleng Universitas Muslim Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55942/pssj.v6i1.786

Keywords:

criminal liability, evidentiary standards, neurocriminology

Abstract

According to the Indonesian Code of Criminal Procedure, the evidentiary system in criminal law remains grounded in the principle of individual responsibility, which presumes free will. However, the incorporation of neurocriminological approaches into legal practice introduces ontological and epistemological conflicts that have not been systematically addressed by existing legal frameworks. This study aims to examine the tension between the concept of individual criminal liability and the deterministic framework of neuroscience and evaluate the admissibility of neuroscientific evidence within the criminal evidentiary system. This study employs a normative legal method with a conceptual approach. The findings indicate that Indonesia's criminal law lacks a conceptual framework capable of bridging the gap between moral culpability and biological vulnerability, thereby risking a loss of coherence in the attribution of legal responsibility to offenders. Furthermore, the absence of normative and procedural mechanisms for assessing the validity, limits, and relevance of neuroscientific evidence creates epistemic asymmetries and opens the door to bias in judicial proceedings. Under such conditions, integrating neuroscience into the legal system risks generating ambiguity in determining liability and undermining the principle of substantive justice. Accordingly, a normative reconstruction of evidentiary law is required as a foundational step to ensure legal consistency in responding to scientific advances.

Author Biographies

Zul Khaidir Kadir, Universitas Muslim Indonesia

Zul Khaidir Kadir is affiliated with Universitas Muslim Indonesia, where he is actively involved in teaching and research on criminal law. With a strong background in honor killing, neurocriminology, comparative criminal law, and criminal policy, his work explores the intersection of culture, neuroscience, and legal doctrine in shaping criminal responsibility. He is particularly committed to developing critical perspectives on criminal policy and advancing comparative approaches to reforming criminal law systems in Indonesia and beyond.

Nur Fadhilah Mappaselleng, Universitas Muslim Indonesia

Nur Fadhilah Mappaselleng is affiliated with Universitas Muslim Indonesia, where she focuses on teaching and research in criminal law. With expertise in customary criminal law, her work examines the legal and cultural dimensions of pembunuhan karena siri’ (honor-related killings) in South Sulawesi, exploring how adat norms intersect with state criminal law. She has more than 30 years of experience in academia and university teaching. She is particularly interested in developing legal frameworks that balance respect for local cultural values with the protection of human rights and the principles of modern criminal justice.

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