A brief summary and critique of criminal liability rules for intoxicated conduct

Abstract

This essay provides an overview of the legal issues relating to intoxication, including the effect of voluntary intoxication in imputing to an offender a required culpable state of mind that he may not actually have had at the time of the offence; the effect of involuntary intoxication in providing a defence by negating a required offence culpability element or by satisfying the conditions of a general excuse; the legal effect of alcoholism or addiction in rendering intoxication involuntary; and the limitation on using alcoholism or addiction in this way if the offender can be judged to be reasonably responsible for creating his own addiction. It notes some of the differences between the US and UK approaches on some issues.