Mentality and the Criminal Law

This book aims at presenting in a concise manner the salient points connected with the law in this country regarding the commission of crimes by mentally disordered persons, so that students and practitioners of law may obtain useful information thereon with an economy of time. A preliminary chapter discusses briefly the meaning of the words " disease " and " mind.' There follow short chapters on insanity, metis rea and intent, drunkenness, irresistible in1' pulse, insanity from the legal point of view, the significance of the McNaghten Rule, and ad-vocacy in cases involving mental disability-The more important statutory enactments relating to mental states are conveniently set out in an appendix. There is also a short bibliography and a list of cases to which reference has been made. In the section dealing with the methods ^ investigating mental states no mention is made of the importance of ascertaining as precisely as possible the circumstances associated with criminal conduct, and of the necessity balance facts in relation thereto which indicate insanity against those which indicate sanity. J is essential for the medical witness to do thig as opposing counsel will examine him upon these matters, and unless he has full information con'