français vers anglais Droit / Brevets Droit (général)

This is an extract from the Spanish Criminal Code, which provides that:
"sont des circonstances atténuantes de la responsabilité criminelle:" (it then goes on to list various circumstances).

I know "circonstances atténuantes" is usually "extenuating circumstances" when it relates to making an offence excusable (which I would have thought was this case) or "mitigating circumstances" when it relates to reducing the penalty.

I'm not sure how to use the term "extenuating circumstances" (if that's the right one) in this sentence though: can one say "circumstances extenuating criminal responsibility" or "extenuating a person from criminal responsibility"? I'd find it easier to talk about "mitigating criminal responsibility" though I don't know whether that's correct either.

Thanks...