Lectures 14 and 15

Question 1

What are the two forms of criminal commitment?

Answer 1

Unstable at the time of crime - not guilty by reason of insanity. Committed until improved enough to be released

Unstable at time of trial - committed till competent to stand trial

Question 2

What is the main aspect of being legally insane?

Answer 2

The defendant has to be unable to know right from wrong

Question 3

What two new verdicts have been introduced?

Answer 3

Guilty but mentally ill - mentally ill at time of the crime, but illness was not fully responsible for the crime

Guilty with diminished capacity - mental dysfunction is viewed as an extenuating circumstance that should be considered

Question 4

What happens more frequently, mental incompetence or NGRI?

Answer 4

There are many more cases of criminal commitment from mental incompetence

Question 5

What is required for involuntary civil commitment?

Answer 5

A judgment of dangerousness from professionals

Question 6

What is the issue with eyewitness testimonies?

Answer 6

They can be highly unreliable and subjects can be fooled into misremembering information

Question 7

What are the rules of confidentiality?

Answer 7

Ethical requirement to not disclose information about a patient to others unless legally compelled to

Mental records are confidential and patients are informed about the limits of confidentiality