When Sleep Problems Become Legal Problems, Neuroscience Can Help

Many of the cases coming to Sleep Forensics, of course, will turn out to be "Twinkie defenses," without scientific merit, from people trying to get off the hook. And even true parasomniacs can commit conscious crimes—and they have. "That's one of the major challenges for us in Sleep Forensics Associates—to work backwards to evaluate the evidence both in favor of a sleep disorder and in favor of criminal activity," says Schenck. "You can't assume that just because someone has a parasomnia, that's why the crime occurred."

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