NCJ Number
135752
Date Published
1987
Length
219 pages
Annotation
This book provides an overview of the various categories of mentally ill offenders and of the salient legal and clinical issues that arise at the several stages of the criminal process.
Abstract
The book opens with a discussion of the definition of mentally disordered offenders and the problem of differentiating them from other offenders in terms of both treatment and housing. A chapter describes society's three primary objectives in dealing with offenders. This provides an understanding of societal responses to all classes of mentally disordered offenders. Four chapters address the main classes of mentally disordered offenders: those incompetent to stand trial, offenders found not guilty by reason of insanity, special sentencing and treatment for mentally disordered offenders viewed as dangerous, and mental disorder that results in transfer from prison to a security hospital. One chapter addresses the treatment of mentally disordered offenders. It includes a review of currently available treatment, and some deficiencies are identified. Remaining chapters consider the ethical problems faced by clinicians who work with mentally disordered offenders and reform of the criminal justice system's handling of mentally disordered offenders. 187 references