16:35 Aug 19, 2011 

instead of guilt, but the principle remains the same - AVAS is AVAS...

15:13 Aug 19, 2011 

No, there aren't. AVAS is AVAS.

You are distinguishing between the two 'strafuitsluitingsgronden': 'rechtvaardigingsgronden' (justification) and 'schulduitsluitingsgronden' (exculpation).

'AVAS' is one of the schulduitsluitingsgronden (and the only 'extra-statutory' one for that matter).

I really don't see how this could be translated other than as 'absence of all guilt'.

See the web for the difference between rechtvaardigingsgronden en schulduitsluitingsgronden (e.g. http://books.google.nl/books?id=GORJDCA9j8kC&pg=PA162&dq=ens... ; http://books.google.nl/books?id=me3O6e2bYBMC&pg=PA238&lpg=PA...

10:53 Aug 19, 2011 

several possibilities, depending on the nature of the case. Whether it's 'excuse' (legal justification of crime condoned by society as it were) or 'exculpation' (absence of guilt, though the crime has been committed and is not condoned by society, but still does not lead to punishment, as in a mad murderer, for example). 'AVAS' (afwezigheid...) is a term particular to the Dutch justice system and should have its equivalence in English, more than a literal translation.