An Insanity Defense Should be Available to Psychopaths

An Insanity Defense Should be Available to Psychopaths PDF Author: Christian Francis Richeson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Electronic dissertations
Languages : en
Pages : 30

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Book Description
Current law allows certain criminal defendants -- not including psychopaths -- an insanity defense. Both Utilitarian and Retributivist rationales can be cited for the defense. This essay argues that affording a defense like the insanity defense to criminal psychopaths is justified on much the same rationales. Integral to the psychopathy syndrome is a set of neurocognitive deficits that render psychopaths significantly less deterrable than non-psychopaths: first, psychopaths' relative inability to recognize when a behavior pattern that once netted benefits now nets costs, and to change their behavior accordingly; second, their relative inability to form the mental associations between an aversive experience and the events which herald it; and third, their relative insusceptibility to fear, which results in the dread of further punishment being much reduced in them. Psychopaths are also less subject to general deterrence, because the psychopath's typical inability to conjure and be moved by emotional mental imagery blunts the warning effect of other offenders' run-ins with the legal system. Psychopathy undercuts the Retributivist rationale for punishment because, due to their characteristic empathy deficit, psychopaths lack the concept of normativity, and so are not morally responsible agents. Those who are not morally responsible do not deserve criminal blame. It is therefore wrong to inflict criminal punishments on psychopaths.

An Insanity Defense Should be Available to Psychopaths

An Insanity Defense Should be Available to Psychopaths PDF Author: Christian Francis Richeson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Electronic dissertations
Languages : en
Pages : 30

Get Book Here

Book Description
Current law allows certain criminal defendants -- not including psychopaths -- an insanity defense. Both Utilitarian and Retributivist rationales can be cited for the defense. This essay argues that affording a defense like the insanity defense to criminal psychopaths is justified on much the same rationales. Integral to the psychopathy syndrome is a set of neurocognitive deficits that render psychopaths significantly less deterrable than non-psychopaths: first, psychopaths' relative inability to recognize when a behavior pattern that once netted benefits now nets costs, and to change their behavior accordingly; second, their relative inability to form the mental associations between an aversive experience and the events which herald it; and third, their relative insusceptibility to fear, which results in the dread of further punishment being much reduced in them. Psychopaths are also less subject to general deterrence, because the psychopath's typical inability to conjure and be moved by emotional mental imagery blunts the warning effect of other offenders' run-ins with the legal system. Psychopathy undercuts the Retributivist rationale for punishment because, due to their characteristic empathy deficit, psychopaths lack the concept of normativity, and so are not morally responsible agents. Those who are not morally responsible do not deserve criminal blame. It is therefore wrong to inflict criminal punishments on psychopaths.

Responsibility and Psychopathy

Responsibility and Psychopathy PDF Author: Luca Malatesti
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199551634
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 341

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Book Description
The discussion of whether psychopaths are morally responsible for their behaviour has long taken place in philosophy. In recent years this has moved into scientific and psychiatric investigation. Responsibility and Psychopathy discusses this subject from both the philosophical and scientific disciplines, as well as a legal perspective.

International Handbook on Psychopathic Disorders and the Law

International Handbook on Psychopathic Disorders and the Law PDF Author: Alan R. Felthous
Publisher: LibreDigital
ISBN: 9780470066386
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 512

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Book Description
Reflecting the work of an international panel of experts, the International Handbook on Psychopathic Disorders and the Law offers an in-depth and multidisciplinary look at key aspects of the development and etiology of psychopathic disorders, current methods of intervention, treatment and management, and how these disorders impact decision making in civil and criminal law.

Handbook on Psychopathy and Law

Handbook on Psychopathy and Law PDF Author: Kent A. Kiehl
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019984139X
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 408

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Book Description
Psychopaths constitute less than 1% of the general population but over 20% of prison populations. They commit a disproportionate amount of crime and violence in society. Given that the economic burden of crime in the United States is estimated to be over $2.3 trillion per year, psychopaths likely constitute one of the most expensive mental health conditions known today. This volume chronicles the latest science of psychopathy and the various ways the condition intersects with the criminal justice system. From the modern techniques to assess the symptoms, to its utility in predicting violent recidivism, to the latest neuroscience youth and adults, and the most promising avenues for treatment, this volume captures the modern science of the condition and discusses ethical and legal issues surrounding psychopaths.

Mad or Bad?: A Critical Approach to Counselling and Forensic Psychology

Mad or Bad?: A Critical Approach to Counselling and Forensic Psychology PDF Author: Andreas Vossler
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1473968364
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 401

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Book Description
A cutting-edge text that provides a comprehensive introduction to mental health problems and criminal behaviour, this book explores the link between mental health and criminality and considers the most common and effective therapeutic approaches for working with offenders and victims of crime. · Part 1 explores the predominant tensions between forensic and therapeutic agendas; · Part 2 considers how criminal and ‘insane’ identities and careers may be considered gendered, classed, culturally and age-dependent experiences, and be related to power and oppression; · Part 3 examines issues around sex and sexuality in forensic and therapeutic settings; · Part 4 introduces a range of therapeutic approaches for working with offenders and victims of crime; · Part 5 covers forensic and therapeutic practices, including programmes for the prevention of both mental health issues and offending. Edited by an expert team from the Open University and written by a broad range of contributors, this book draws on a wealth of experience in this popular subject area. It will be a key text for students of forensic psychology, counselling and psychotherapy, and for health and social care professionals working in therapeutic and forensic settings.

Thomas Szasz

Thomas Szasz PDF Author: C. V. Haldipur
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192543210
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 384

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Book Description
Thomas Szasz wrote over thirty books and several hundred articles, replete with mordant criticism of psychiatry, in both scientific and popular periodicals. His works made him arguably one of the world's most recognized psychiatrists, albeit one of the most controversial. These writings have been translated into several languages and have earned him a worldwide following. Szasz was a man of towering intellect, sweeping historical knowledge, and deep-rooted, mostly libertarian, philosophical beliefs. He wrote with a lucid and acerbic wit, but usually in a way that is accessible to general readers. His books cautioned against the indiscriminate power of psychiatry in courts and in society, and against the apparent rush to medicalize all human folly. They have spawned an eponymous ideology that has influenced, to various degrees, laws relating to mental health in several countries and states. This book critically examines the legacy of Thomas Szasz - a man who challenged the very concept of mental illness and questioned several practices of psychiatrists. The book surveys his many contributions including those in psychoanalysis, which are very often overlooked by his critics. While admiring his seminal contribution to the debate, the book will also point to some of his assertions that merit closer scrutiny. Contributors to the book are drawn from various disciplines, including Psychiatry, Philosophy and Law; and are from various countries including the United States, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Some contributors knew Thomas Szasz personally and spent many hours with him discussing issues he raised in his books and articles. The book will be fascinating reading for anyone interested in matters of mental health, human rights, and ethics.

Defense Against the Psychopath: A Brief Introduction to Human Predators

Defense Against the Psychopath: A Brief Introduction to Human Predators PDF Author: MR Stefan H. Verstappen
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 0986951528
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 34

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Book Description
Defense against the Psychopath is a brief study guide to teach people how to recognize and defend against our society's most dangerous predators, psychopaths.

The Insanity Defense and Psychopathy

The Insanity Defense and Psychopathy PDF Author: Anthony W. Tine
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Criminal liability
Languages : en
Pages : 100

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Book Description


Almost a Psychopath

Almost a Psychopath PDF Author: Ronald Schouten
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1616494263
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 162

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Book Description
Do you know someone who is just a bit too manipulative and full of himself? Does someone you know charm the masses yet lack the ability to deeply connect with those around her? You might have an Almost Psychopath in your life. Grandiosity and exaggerated self-worth. Pathological lying. Manipulation. Lack of remorse. Shallowness. Exploitation for financial gain. These are the qualities of Almost Psychopaths. They are not the deranged criminals or serial killers that might be coined "psychopaths" in the movies or on TV. They are spouses, coworkers, bosses, neighbors, and people in the news who exhibit many of the same behaviors as a full-blown psychopath, but with less intensity and consistency. In Almost a Psychopath, Ronald Schouten, MD, JD, and James Silver, JD, draw on scientific research and their own experiences to help you identify if you are an Almost Psychopath and, if so, guide you to interventions and resources to change your behavior. If you think you have encountered an Almost Psychopath, they offer practical tools to help you: recognize the behavior, attitudes, and characteristics of the Almost Psychopath; make sense of interactions you've had with Almost Psychopaths; devise strategies for dealing with them in the present; make informed decisions about your next steps; and learn ways to help an Almost Psychopath get better control of their behavior. The Almost Effect Series presents books written by Harvard Medical School faculty and other experts that offer guidance on common behavioral and physical problems falling in the spectrum between normal health and a full-blown medical condition. These are the first publications to help general readers recognize and address these problems.

Attacks on the Insanity Defense

Attacks on the Insanity Defense PDF Author: Clarence Ray Jeffery
Publisher: Charles C. Thomas Publisher
ISBN:
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 264

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Book Description