PSYC 2400 Lecture 6: LECTURE 6 - The Role of Mental Illness in Court
10 Feb 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Mental illness as it relates to the ability to stand trial & the commission of a crime. 2 elements must be present for criminal guilt to be established must be found beyond a reasonable doubt: actus reus: a wrongful deed, mens rea: criminal intent. In order for individuals charged w/ commission of a crime to be tried fairly understanding of the charges/proceedings & be able to help in preparing their defense. Unfit to stand trial: refers to an inability to conduct a defense at any stage of the proceedings on account of a person"s mental disorder. R. v. balliram unfit person could not be sentenced. *difficult to determine the degree of impairment necessary for an unfit standing turn to case law. Bill c-30 (1992) enacted 5-day limit on court-ordered assessments; extensions not to exceed 30 days. How many defendants are referred for fitness evaluations: webster, menzies, butler, & turner app.
