Mental Condition Defences and the Criminal Justice System: Perspectives from Law and Medicine

Abstract

The genesis of this collection lies in a series of events organised by, amongst others, the editors of this volume, chiefly the one-day conference, organised by Nicola Wake and Ben Livings, which took place at the University of Northumbria in October 2013. Several of the contributing authors were present at this event, which allowed for the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas between legal and medical practitioners and academics. The views expressed at this conference have helped to inform and shape the compilation of this volume. The contributing authors bring to bear a range of perspectives on the various topics and views herein presented. The matters with which the volume concerns itself are important and timely, with the law relating to mental disorder and criminal justice in a state of flux, but the book is not intended to be a comprehensive account of criminal justice when it comes to matters pertaining to mental disorder; the subject is, in reality, far too broad and rather too fragmented for any single volume to be able to achieve this. It does, however, set out to address some of the problematic aspects in the area, and to provide a platform for further research and policy reform.