NCJ Number
157928
Date Published
1995
Length
436 pages
Annotation
The author discusses the worlds of psychiatry and the law; citing numerous landmark cases and historical formulations of criminal responsibility, he traces the evolution of current legal and psychiatric notions of culpability and the relationship between culpability and insanity.
Abstract
Writing for both mental health and legal audiences, the author addresses a wide range of important topical issues. He explains distinctions between the defenses of not guilty by reason of insanity, guilty but mentally ill, and diminished capacity. In addition, the author identifies mental illnesses that currently qualify under the test of criminal responsibility, including disorders psychiatrists do not regard as psychotic but which many experts believe negate responsibility. Finally, the author explores the role of mental health professionals as expert character witnesses in cases where it is not certain if the accused committed the crime in question. The highly publicized role of psychiatry in the assessment of criminal responsibility and other aspects of criminal culpability is detailed. Endnotes