Overview

The insanity defense debate has come full circle, again. The current round began when John Hinckley opened fire; in 1843, it was Daniel M'Naghten who pulled the trigger; the ""acts"" of both would-be ""insanity acquittees"" provoked the press, the populace, a President, and a Queen to expressions of outrage, and triggered Congress, the House of Lords, judges, jurists, psychologists, and psychiatrists to debate this most maddening matter. ""Insanity"" -which has historically been surrounded by defenses, defen­ ders, and detractors-found itself once again under siege, on trial, and undergoing rigorous cross-examination. Treatises were written on the sub­ ject, testimony was taken, and new rules and laws were adopted. The dust has settled, but it has not cleared. What is clear to me is that we have got it wrong, once again. The ""full circle"" analogy and historical parallel to M'Naghten (1843) warrant some elaboration. Hinckley's firing at the President, captured by television and rerun again and again, rekindled an old debate regarding the allegedly insane and punishment (Caplan, 1984; Maeder, 1985; Szasz, 1987), a debate in which the ""insanity defense"" is centrally situated. The smolderings ignited anew when the Hinckley (1981) jury brought in its verdict-""not guilty by reason of insanity"" (NGRI).

Full Product Details

Author:   Norman J. Finkel ,  Norman J Finkel (Professor of Psychology, Georgetown University)
Publisher:   Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Imprint:   Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Edition:   Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1988
Volume:   8
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.600kg
ISBN:  

9781461289241

ISBN 10:   1461289246
Pages:   398
Publication Date:   30 September 2011
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

I. Historical Development of Anglo-American Insanity Perspectives.- 1. An Historical Look at Insanity Defenses: From King Aethelred to Queen Victoria.- 2. From M’Naghten to Hinckley: Yesterday’s Answers Breed Today’s Questions.- 3. The Courtship of Law and Psychology.- II. Background Issues—Basic Concepts, False Hopes, and Erroneous Beliefs.- 4. The Concept of Mental Illness (Disease).- 5. Therapeutics for the Insane, Dilemmas for Therapists.- 6. Punishment and the Insane.- III. Prevailing Currents, Unsettling Consequences.- 7. The Layman’s (Juror’s) Perspective on Insanity.- 8. Neuropsychological Perspectives on Insanity.- 9. The Patient’s Perspective: Involuntary Treatment.- IV. Future Directions and Recommendations.- 10. The Essence of Insanity.- 11. Toward a New Test for Insanity.- 12. Law and Psychology—the Courtship Reconsidered.- References.

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