Peritraumatic dissociation and psychogenic amnesia in violent offenders

Psychogenic amnesia, characterised by memory loss stemming from psychological stress or trauma in the absence of detectable brain injury, is frequently reported among violent offenders. Research indicates that between 25-50% of such individuals claim some kind of amnesia when trying to recall their crimes (Zago et al. Citation2024), often attributing this memory impairment to dissociation during the event. Peritraumatic dissociation involves disturbed awareness, impaired memory encoding, and altered perceptions during and immediately after a crime (McDonald et al., Citation2013). Is there truth to these claims, or are offenders malingering amnesia claims for their own benefit? This article discusses evidence-based psychological methods designed to test the veracity of amnesia claims and facilitate memory recovery in offenders. Analysing literature on cognitive processing, memory encoding and retrieval, and trauma enhances understanding of psychogenic amnesia as it related to peritraumatic dissociation. This article addresses the importance of integrating a standardised approach to claims of amnesia based on psychological theory within the criminal justice system to identify feigned vs. genuine amnesia.