Epilepsy and Criminal-Law

Paul, G.M. and Lange, K.W. (1992) Epilepsy and Criminal-Law. Medicine Science and the Law, 32 (2). pp. 160-166. ISSN 0025-8024. (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided. (Contact us about this Publication)

Abstract

Automatic episodes of aggressive or violent behaviour may occur during or after an epileptic fit. Epileptic automatisms are regarded by the law as `insane automatisms'. A person who commits a crime during the course of a seizure is therefore legally insane and must be committed to a psychiatric hospital. The law of insanity is inappropriate when applied to epileptic automatisms. A change in the law is therefore necessary to remove epileptic offenders from the legal ambit of insanity, and to save them the threat of detention in a mental hospital as a consequence of their crime.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	R Medicine K Law
Divisions:	Faculties > Social Sciences > Kent Law School
Depositing User:	M. Nasiriavanaki
Date Deposited:	23 Aug 2009 10:50 UTC
Last Modified:	23 Aug 2009 10:50 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/22396 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)