This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Handbook of Forensic Psychiatric Practice in Capital Cases


current mental state. Te presence of mental disorder can be crucial to the non-application of the death penalty, and can still be relevant even if a jury has rejected the mental disorder in relation to a mental condition defence at trial.


However, a psychiatrist should never give an opinion recommending any penal sentence, or its avoidance, including in regard to capital sentencing. Sentencing is a matter for the court, albeit subject in part on occasion to the hearing of expert evidence.


More generally, there should be care to avoid becoming ‘an advocate’ for the defendant, whatever your beliefs and personal values about the death penalty, and you should also refrain from excusing or defending the defendant, thereby resorting to moral judgment, which judgment properly resides in the judge.


Any diagnosis present of mental retardation or learning disability is particularly important, as it is likely to be a bar to execution. Low IQ, even in the absence of mental retardation or frank learning disability, might also be a relevant mitigating factor.


Assessment for sentencing


Te assessment will follow general principles. However, there should be particularly thorough attention given to individual characteristics, experiences and background, going beyond merely attempting to determine whether any symptoms of personality features are sufficient to make an ICD10 or DSM-IV diagnosis.


Tere should be specific inquiry about sexual abuse, physical abuse, plus family background and relationships more generally.


Te mental health expert might reasonably address the following issues, as examples of factors to mitigation (not an exhaustive list):


• Is there any mental disorder and what were/are the implications for the defendant’s behaviour?


• Are there any psychological factors affecting the judgment or ability to exercise control of the defendant?


• Are there any developmental (social and psychological) factors that have shaped the person’s character, including in response to stress?


• Is there any empirical evidence about the impact on people with similar experiences of trauma?


• What effect did adverse experiences in their early life (for example, physical or emotional trauma, abuse, neglect) have upon their development?


• Whether the person was exposed to risk factors for subsequent violence is a matter that is relevant to ‘risk assessment’, in terms of the ‘beyond reformation’ criterion (see Chapter 7


concerning risk assessment)


98


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156