What is going on in this picture? Be as descriptive as possible. We will look at your responses shortly.

What do forensic psychiatrists do? 1. Profile: use crime scene details to describe characteristics of the criminal to help find him/her –Ex. Body was carried long way. Criminal must have been strong or had help. 2. Evaluate competency: give tests and interviews to determine defendant’s personality, etc. –Ex. Are they insane?

If you were going to be a forensic psychiatrist, would you rather be involved in evaluating mentality or profiling? WHY?

How is forensic psychiatry different than clinical psychiatry? CLINICAL: Treat person to improve mental health –Ex. If you’re sad/anxious/etc. you see therapist to help you. FORENSIC: Dissect intellect/personality to reveal his/her true mental health –Ex. Only evaluates defendants who committed crimes.

What does “evaluating competency” mean? If the defendant is pleading “not guilty by reason of insanity,” then a for. psych. needs to determine which category the person falls under They already admitted to the crime, now the question is whether or not it was technically their fault. –1. Legally Insane: The person was unaware that he/she was doing something wrong during the commission of the crime. Ex. Schizophrenic –2. Incompetent to stand trial: The person presently doesn’t understand legal proceedings. Eventually has to plead insane, diminished capacity or sane. (Temporary classification) Ex. In shock…mother who killed her children couldn’t communicate with her lawyers –3. Diminished Capacity: The person doesn’t or did not (during the crime) meet all criteria of a normal person during the crime. Ex. low intelligence, under great distress during crime –4. Sane: The person was aware that he/she was doing something wrong during the commission of the crime.

At which of the four levels would you classify the following defendants? 1.A soldier returns from Iraq and kills someone who threatens him. 1.Diminished capacity 2.Defendant is unable to discuss case with attorney representing him/her 1.Incompetent to stand trial 3.Defendant is under the influence of drugs/alcohol 1.Diminished capacity

How many cases in the U.S. use the insanity defense? 1% Most lawyers know insanity is VERY difficult to prove beyond all reasonable doubt. Montana, Idaho, Utah do not allow the insanity defense…instead, “guilty, but mentally ill.”

What’s the history of the insanity defense? Insanity is a legal term, not a medical/psychiatric McNaghten Rule: –Established in England in 1843 when McNaghten assassinated a Scottish civil servant –States that if someone is unaware of what he/she is doing is wrong, it is inhumane to hold them accountable for their actions during that time. Daniel McNaghten

How does a for. psych. determine the competency of a defendant? 1 st : Medical history and physical exam –Family history of disorders or illness that may cause certain behaviors 2 nd : Test mental health two ways: –1. Personality tests MMPI: 400 personality questions –Depression, obsession, anxiety, paranoia, lying, manipulation Ink blots: analyzes interpretation of images TATs: Show picture and ask person to interpret it –Listen for interpretation, tone of the stories –Behaviors during story (tapping of fingers, anxiousness, etc.) –2. Intellectual test (IQ)

What did you write? What does that mean?

QUICK WRITE A defendant may be classified into one of four categories by a forensic psychiatrist. Describe two of these four categories. Describe the different tests that forensic psychiatrists use to assess the mental health of a defendant.