PSY240H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 19: Canda, Actus Reus, Risk Management
Document Summary
The inability to perceive accurately or reason correctly about the outside world is referred to as cognitive impairment. The inability to exert adequate controls on one"s behaviour is referred to as volitional impairment. Canadian law recognizes that mental disorder may cause cognitive or volitional impairment. The law defines mental disorder as any impairment of psychological functioning that is internal, stable and involuntary in nature. Legal definitions of mental disorder typically focus on acute and severe disturbances in through, affect, or behaviour. In legal proceedings, triers of fact (judges, juries, or review boards) must determine whether or not a person who is party to the proceedings has a mental disorder, according to how mental disorder is defined in the relevant law. Mental health professionals act merely as consultants to triers of fact, providing expert observations and opinions. Law is a set of rules and procedures designed to regulate the behaviour of people.
