PSY240H5 Lecture Notes - Mens Rea, Involuntary Commitment, Thomas Szasz
Document Summary
Laws: set of rules you must follow. Heinz dilemma: ex: stealing drugs for dying wife. Ethics: set of guidelines that you should follow. Thomas szasz argues that psychological conditions are not medical, they are people not functioning properly (ex: can"t hold a job and can"t do things that other people do). Psychopathology doesn"t usually get treated until it becomes a problem for someone else (social conflict). Substance abuse disorder, judgment impaired and reaction time, car accident and hurt someone. But mental disorder does not get you out of jail. Can"t declare someone as legally insane: only power that psychologists have in the legal system are being witnesses, judge/jury will take in testimony, forensic psychologist. Statuary law: provincial, differs from province to province. Changeable: guide the legal system in apprehending people with mental disorders, custody: commitment, hospital confinement, interpretations of constitutional laws, some are at municipal level also. Parens patriae: responsibility and authority to care.
