The paper examines suffering as a layered emotional state that transcends the boundaries of a single scientific discipline and finds its place within the context of criminal law. The theoretical part of the paper analyses the occurrence and forms of suffering in criminal law, considering its dual presence through both victimological and criminological perspectives. The concept of suffering is explored within the framework of criminal offenses such as domestic violence and homicide, identifying normative and practical challenges related to its definition and determination. The empirical part of the study is based on the analysis of medical records of 75 legally insane individuals who were involuntarily hospitalized in the Department of the Institute for Forensic Psychiatry “Dr. Vlado Jukic” at the Vrapce Psychiatric Clinic, with the aim of determining the sources of their suffering and its connection to the committed offenses and established diagnoses.
Roksandić et al. (Thu,) studied this question.