Law, Psychiatry, and Morality


Book Description

The books discusses law, psychiatry, and morality.




Legal Insanity: Explorations in Psychiatry, Law, and Ethics


Book Description

This book examines core issues related to legal insanity, integrating perspectives from psychiatry, law, and ethics. Various criteria for insanity are analyzed and recommendations for forensic psychiatric and legal practice are offered. Many legal systems have an insanity defense, in one form or another. Still, it remains unclear exactly when and why mental disorders affect a person’s moral or criminal responsibility. Questions addressed in this book include: Why should insanity be a component of our legal system? What should be the criteria for an insanity defense? What would be the reasons for abolishing it? Who should bear the burden of proof? Furthermore, the book discusses the impact neurosciences may have on psychiatric and psychological evaluations of defendants as well as on legal decisions about insanity.




Law, Psychology, and Morality


Book Description

Prospect theory posits that people do not perceive outcomes as final states of wealth or welfare, but rather as gains or losses in relation to some reference point. People are generally loss averse: the disutility generated by a loss is greater than the utility produced by a commensurate gain. Loss aversion is related to such phenomena as the status quo and omission biases, the endowment effect, and escalation of commitment. The book systematically analyzes the relationships between loss aversion and the law.




A Clinical Guide to Psychiatric Ethics


Book Description

In the video above, listen to the author, Dr. Roberts, discuss with Chief of Staff John M. Oldham the challenges that medical residents face in managing their own mental health and wellbeing. Professional ethics and decision making have become areas of heightened critical inquiry, as well as matters of normal but challenging psychiatric practice. Informed by the extensive clinical experience of the author and guest contributors, A Clinical Guide to Psychiatric Ethics approaches the ethical aspects of mental health care -- both subtle and dramatic -- with clarity, coherence, and optimism. This engaging text functions as both a review and a guide to issues on the horizon, as well as those encountered every day. The Guide achieves these objectives by employing several strategic features: Structured logically into three parts (Fundamentals, Caring for Special Populations, and Evolving Topics), the book takes the reader from the general to the specific and from the traditional to the emergent. Case scenarios at the end of each chapter not only focus the individual reader on the chapter's concepts and issues, but also may be used in independent study or small-group discussions. The text emphasizes real experience over remote theories, attuning readers to clinical realities with keen sensitivity. It does not offer simple answers, but provides guideposts to impart information, foster skill development, and encourage openness, collaboration, and self-reflection among both veteran clinicians and trainees. Significant focus is given to the care of individuals from distinct populations (e.g., children and veterans) and care occurring in unique contexts (e.g., small communities), underscoring the book's broad usefulness. The material is thoroughly current, aided by useful lists, tables, and figures to enhance its accessibility. A Clinical Guide to Psychiatric Ethics provides a trustworthy compass and expert companion for those traveling with their patients along the ethical frontier of mental illness.




Forensic Psychiatry


Book Description

Highly Commended, BMA Medical Book Awards 2014Comprehensive and erudite, Forensic Psychiatry: Clinical, Legal and Ethical Issues, Second Edition is a practical guide to the psychiatry of offenders, victims, and survivors of crime. This landmark publication has been completely updated but retains all the features that made the first edition such a w




Ethical Issues in Prison Psychiatry


Book Description

Recent surveys demonstrate a high and possibly increasing prevalence of mental disorders in prisoners. They have an increased risk of suffering from a mental disorder that transcends countries and diagnoses. Ethical dilemmas in prison psychiatry arise from resource allocation and include issues of patient choice and autonomy in an inherently coercive environment. Ethical conflicts may arise from the dual role of forensic psychiatrists giving raise to tensions between patient care/protection of the public.This book describes models and ethical issues of psychiatric healthcare in prison in several countries. Relevant issues are: the professional medical role of a psychiatrist and/or psychotherapist working in prison, the involvement of psychiatrists in disciplinary or coercive measures; consent to treatment, the use of coercion in forcing a prisoner to undergo treatment, hunger strike, confidentiality. The book ends with consensus guidelines concerning good practice in Prison Psychiatry.




Responsibility and Psychopathy


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.




Ethics and Mental Health


Book Description

The field of ethics is expanding and has assumed new significance as a compulsory part of study for psychiatrists and all mental health professionals. Ethics and Mental Health: The Patient, Profession and Community presents a new approach to these ethical dilemmas that have become an increasing part of modern practice. The book begins by exploring current normative theories of psychiatric ethics. It describes how empirical methods can make codes of conduct more representative of professional values. Considering their previous work, concepts of justice, and the moderate communitarian position, the authors outline their methodology, which argues that mental health professionals exist within a perpetual state of tension, caused by conflicts between the Hippocratic Oath, personal values, notions of social justice, and the potentially harmful influences of their social role. Applying their theory to the area of involuntary psychiatric treatment, the authors address the context of psychiatric practice and the moral agency of psychiatrists. They outline the different influences on the craft of psychiatry to better illustrate the diverse forces that impact moral deliberation and the practice of ethics in mental health. In doing so, they cover areas as diverse as cultural, economic, scientific, and political domains. The final section of the book applies the methodology to contemporary problems in mental health ethics, formulating how mental health clinicians can approach these quandaries. The book brings a new perspective to classic dilemmas from the past, to contemporary challenges, and in anticipation, to new concerns that will inevitably arise in a dynamic and complex professional context.




Ethical Practice in Psychiatry and the Law


Book Description

We would expect a successful series such as Critical Issues in American Psychiatry and the Law to present timely, relevant issues in a high-quality manner, and such is the hallmark of this outstanding series. But we might not expect the editors to dive into the especially controversial issues, e.g., ethics, and I applaud them for doing so and in such a comprehensive and thorough fashion. Public and professional concern about ethical aspects of psychiatrists' be havior and practice is growing, and exponentially. Concern about the ethical practice of modern forensic psychiatry is paralleled by deep-seated apprehen sion not only about the ethical dilemmas of psychiatry and medicine (e.g., societal versus individual patient values, the corporatization of medicine, access to versus cost of medicine) but also about the widely publicized ethical trans gressions of religious and political leaders. That's why this volume is so timely and important. Ethics-the principles and rules of right conduct. Sounds simple. We know it is not. When I'm asked by colleagues to consider the perceived unethical behavior of a fellow professional, I often find that, like obscenity, they can't always define it but they are definite that they know it when they see it. The perception of ethical conduct often appears to be in the eyes of the beholder. read this volume. It may not always please you, Well, that's why you will want to it may upset you and even offend you, but it will definitely inform you.




The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Forensic Psychiatry


Book Description

General clinicians conduct most forensic psychiatric examinations and provide most psychiatric testimony. Yet these clinicians often receive little or no training in forensic psychiatry, leaving them ill prepared to meet the inevitable ethical and legal challenges that arise. Both timely and informative, this textbook is the first reference designed and written for both the general clinician and the experienced forensic psychiatrist. Here, 28 recognized experts introduce the forensic subjects that commonly arise in clinical practice. Unique in the literature, this outstanding collection covers • Introductory subjects—Organized psychiatry and forensic practice; the legal system and the distinctions between therapeutic and forensic roles; business aspects of starting a forensic practice; the role of the expert witness; the differences between the ethics of forensic and clinical psychiatry; the use of DSM in the courtroom; and issues that arise in working with attorneys• Civil litigation—The standard of care and psychiatric malpractice; civil competency; issues in conducting evaluations for personal injury litigation; personal injury claims of psychiatric harm; and disability determination and other employment-related psychiatric evaluations• Criminal justice—Competency to stand trial and insanity evaluations; the use of actuarial and clinical assessments in the evaluation of sexual offenders; psychiatry in correctional settings; and the relationship between psychiatry and law enforcement, including mental health training, crisis negotiation, and fitness for duty evaluations• Special topics—Assessment of malingering; evaluations of children and adolescents; violence risk assessments; the use of prediction instruments to determine "dangerousness"; and the evolving standard of expert psychological testimony Each chapter is organized around case examples and includes a review of key concepts, practical guidelines, and references for further reading. A study guide is also available for use in teaching, in studying, and in preparing for the forensic board examination. This practical textbook makes this interesting specialty accessible to trainees and seasoned practitioners. With its detailed glossary of legal terms, subject index, and index of legal cases, it will be a welcome addition to all psychiatric residency and forensic fellowship programs.