NCJ Number
138433
Date Published
1992
Length
322 pages
Annotation
Directed to both criminal justice system personnel and students, this volume explains the major mental disorders and other abnormal behavior that are common in offenders and examines their implications for law enforcement and corrections personnel and others working in the criminal justice system.
Abstract
An overview focuses on the incidence of mental disorders and the consensus of mental health experts regarding several aspects of abnormal behavior. Additional chapters present case examples and issues related to a variety of disorders, including psychopathic disorders, personality disorders, impulse disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, sexual disorders, psychoses, organic brain damage, anxiety, dissociative disorders, sleep disorders, somatoform disorders, malingering, childhood disorders, and mental retardation. Issues of direct application and practical consequence to criminal justice practitioners are also covered, including violence, the detection of deception, the determination of incompetency, criminal responsibility, civil commitment, the prediction of dangerousness, and the use of psychopharmacology. Issues for criminal justice personnel are also discussed, including personnel selection, effective and efficient performance, and time and stress management. Figures, tables, chapter reference lists, and index