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 available from this repository)

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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
Last Modified:	23 Aug 2009 10:50
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/22396 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)