The education and training of this individual is threefold. He or she is a medical doctor. He continues training as a psychiatrist. Thirdly, he trains to answer questions about psychiatric classifications as related to the law. The forensic psychiatrist determines whether someone is fit to stand trial or not.
For legal purposes, the finding of insanity is very stringent. First the mental status is diagnosed. Then, the subject must have been unable to judge what he was doing was wrong. That incompetency had to have been in effect when the crime was committed.
One example is the patient who is functional when medicated regularly. However, this patient, when the medication is working, will think he no longer needs medication. This is untrue. When he goes off the medication, at that time he is incapable of telling right from wrong.
The alleged has his sanity judged as legally sane or insane. The psychiatrist advises the judge as to how to rule after his evaluation. His opinion is based on the mental state of the accused at the time he committed the crime being adjudicated.
In the majority of cases he will be accused of a violent crime. It may range from a kidnapping and murder, to a rape. The rights of the accused should be protected. More importantly, the public must be protected from these violent predators. There will be new victims if the perpetrator, mentally ill or not, is let loose again.
It cannot be stressed enough that the medicated schizophrenic may appear in touch with reality while medicated. However, it is rare that he will, without supervision, continue on the medication as prescribed. Then he is once again, highly dangerous to anyone who crosses his path at the wrong time.
When called upon as an expert witness the psychiatrist testifies under oath. He will have interviewed the accused a sufficient number of hours to diagnose him. His opinion is presented without regard to what either attorney is attempting to prove. But, a defense attorney may consult him and call upon him to testify only when the diagnosis supports his opinion. The prosecuting attorney will also use an expert witness who supports his assumption of guilt.
The judge receives a report detailing the findings. He and the jury are the only people the witness is supposed to influence. The judge relies on his expert opinion to guide him in passing sentence because his own expertise is in the law.
The judge has guidelines as to the number of years in prison he can sentence a criminal offender to for a specific crime. The psychiatrist has mental health guidelines. His diagnosis of legal competency must comply with those.
There are very specific criterion to be met. At the time the crime was committed, the accused must have been unaware of what he was doing. Alternatively, he could not appreciate the wrongfulness of the crime because of a mental disease. If the psychiatrist or the judge do not make correct determinations, the public will be endangered. If sent to a mental institution instead of prison, it is possible he may hurt someone there.
For legal purposes, the finding of insanity is very stringent. First the mental status is diagnosed. Then, the subject must have been unable to judge what he was doing was wrong. That incompetency had to have been in effect when the crime was committed.
One example is the patient who is functional when medicated regularly. However, this patient, when the medication is working, will think he no longer needs medication. This is untrue. When he goes off the medication, at that time he is incapable of telling right from wrong.
The alleged has his sanity judged as legally sane or insane. The psychiatrist advises the judge as to how to rule after his evaluation. His opinion is based on the mental state of the accused at the time he committed the crime being adjudicated.
In the majority of cases he will be accused of a violent crime. It may range from a kidnapping and murder, to a rape. The rights of the accused should be protected. More importantly, the public must be protected from these violent predators. There will be new victims if the perpetrator, mentally ill or not, is let loose again.
It cannot be stressed enough that the medicated schizophrenic may appear in touch with reality while medicated. However, it is rare that he will, without supervision, continue on the medication as prescribed. Then he is once again, highly dangerous to anyone who crosses his path at the wrong time.
When called upon as an expert witness the psychiatrist testifies under oath. He will have interviewed the accused a sufficient number of hours to diagnose him. His opinion is presented without regard to what either attorney is attempting to prove. But, a defense attorney may consult him and call upon him to testify only when the diagnosis supports his opinion. The prosecuting attorney will also use an expert witness who supports his assumption of guilt.
The judge receives a report detailing the findings. He and the jury are the only people the witness is supposed to influence. The judge relies on his expert opinion to guide him in passing sentence because his own expertise is in the law.
The judge has guidelines as to the number of years in prison he can sentence a criminal offender to for a specific crime. The psychiatrist has mental health guidelines. His diagnosis of legal competency must comply with those.
There are very specific criterion to be met. At the time the crime was committed, the accused must have been unaware of what he was doing. Alternatively, he could not appreciate the wrongfulness of the crime because of a mental disease. If the psychiatrist or the judge do not make correct determinations, the public will be endangered. If sent to a mental institution instead of prison, it is possible he may hurt someone there.
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