Voluntary manslaughter is a criminal offense that constitutes a privileged form of manslaughter. It permits a more lenient sentence in cases where the perpetrator commits manslaughter while in a state of severe irritation, induced by the victim's prior provocative behaviour, such as an assault or serious personal insults. This criminal offense has been subject to numerous criticisms and concerns regarding the adequacy of its formulation and the implications it conveys within both Slovenian and foreign legal systems. It is argued that it obscures the true motive of the perpetrator's revenge, which cannot and should not be considered a circumstance that mitigates the seriousness of the act or justifies a reduced sentence under modern criminal law. To enhance the understanding of this institute, I have examined the offense of voluntary manslaughter in my master's thesis. The thesis is theoretical in nature and centers on the analysis of this offense while exploring arguments for the criticisms directed at the institute and identifying potential improvements de lege ferenda. The first part of the thesis outlines the criminal offense, its essential characteristics, and the criteria for its legal classification under Slovenian law. Additionally, it addresses the possibility of double evaluation of mitigating and privileged circumstances. The second part of the thesis concentrates on the comparative legal perspective, presenting the regulation and evolution of voluntary manslaughter within the Anglo-Saxon legal system.
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