Description
Book SynopsisThe complicated relationship between defendants with mental health disorders and the criminal justice system
The American criminal justice system is based on the bedrock principles of fairness and justice for all. In striving to ensure that all criminal defendants are treated equally under the law, it endeavors to handle similar cases in similar fashion, attempting to apply rules and procedures even-handedly regardless of a defendant's social class, race, ethnicity, or gender. Yet, the criminal justice system has also recognized exceptions when special circumstances underlie a defendant's behavior or are likely to skew the defendant's trial. One of the most controversial set of exceptions often poorly articulated and inconsistently applied involves criminal defendants with a mental disorder.
A series of special rules and procedures has evolved over the centuries, often without fanfare and even today with little systematic examination, that lawyers and judges appl
Trade Review
This book is particularly relevant today when it is being increasingly acknowledged that mental disorders are pervasive and undertreated and are even more so within the criminal justice system … the book is a plea for a better understanding of mental disorders and their impact on behavior that offers extensive legal, clinical and philosophical insights. Though it is thorough and requires attentive reading it is nontechnical and can be read by the educated lay reader. This book clearly shows how complicated a question the relationship between defendants with mental health disorders and the criminal justice system is, and thus can be a valuable resource for achieving a greater understanding of the key issues involved in cases that involve criminal defendants with mental disorders and their ability to receive a fair and just trial. -- Metapsychology
Thomas Hafemeister has combined a succinct description and analysis of all the leading cases relevant to competency and criminal responsibility issues with an insightful discussion of the nature of mental disability and its relevance to these important legal issues. This book represents a rare marriage of legal and clinical acumen. -- Christopher Slobogin,Milton Underwood Professor of Law, Vanderbilt Law School
