the public opinion of forensic phsyciatry after the john hickney decision.pdf

8/18/2019 The Public opinion of forensic phsyciatry after the John Hickney Decision.pdf

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Cornell Law Library

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Cornell Law Faculty Publications Faculty Scholarship

5-1-1984

Public Opinion of Forensic Psychiatry Following the Hinckley Verdict

Dan Slater

Valerie P. HansCornell Law School , [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: hp://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/facpub

Part of the Criminal Law Commons , Criminal Procedure Commons , Law and Society Commons , Litigation Commons , and the Psychology and Psychiatry Commons

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Recommended CitationSlater, Dan and Hans, Valerie P., "Public Opinion of Forensic Psychiatry Following the Hinckley Verdict" (1984). Cornell Law Faculty Publications. Paper 416.hp://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/facpub/416

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r ief om mun ica tion s

A m J P sych ia try 14 1 :5 , M ay 1 984

67 5

P u b lic O p in io n o f F o ren sic P sy ch ia try

F o llo w in g th e H in ck ley V erd ic t

D a n S la ter P h D an d V a ler ie P H an s P h D

T he a u tho rs o b ta in ed op in ions o f fo rensic

p sych ia try in a com m u n ity survey fo llow in g th e n o t

g u ilty by reason o f in san ity ve rd ict in the H inckley

tr ia l. A m a jority o f respon den ts express ed little o r n o

con fid en ce in the spec ific p sych ia tr ic te stim ony in th e

H inckley tr ia l a nd o n ly m odest fa ith in the genera l

a b ility o f p sych ia tr is ts to de te rm in e lega l in san ity .

R espon den ts’ g en era l a nd specific a ttitude s w ere

s trong ly rela ted . Y o ung er p eo p le an d w o m en w ere

m ore p ositiv e in the ir view s o f p sych ia try in th e

cour t room.

(A m

J

P sych ia try 141 :675 -6 79 , 1 984 )

T

h e n o t gu ilty by reason o f insan ity ve rd ic t in th e

tr ia l o f Jo hn H in ck ley , Jr ., ha s b ro ugh t u nde r

pub lic sc ru tiny im portan t and lo ng-feste r ing q uestion s

ab ou t psy ch iatry ’s ro le in th e lega l a ren a. In the w ake

of the H in ck ley v erd ic t, co m m enta to rs ac ros s th e

po litica l spec tru m and th e p ub lic in gene ra l have

qu es tioned the use fu lness o f psy ch iatr ic te stim o ny in

c rim ina l p ro ceed ing s, revealin g an appa ren t d is tru st o f

fo rensic p sych ia try . E ven the A m erican P sy ch ia tric

A ssoc ia tion (1 ), in reactio n to th is pu b lic c ritic ism , has

recom m ended lim iting the scope of psy ch ia tris ts’

cou rtroom testim o ny . In ac tua lity , how eve r, ve ry little

is k now n abou t how the pub lic v iew s fo rens ic p sych ia -

try , the causes o f th is pe rcep tion , on the im pact o f a

con tro ve rsia l in san ity v erd ic t. In th is pape r w e p resen t

em pirica l da ta on pub lic o p in ion abo u t fo rensic p sy-

ch ia try fo llow ing th e H inck ley trial.

R ece iv ed F eb . 24 , 19 83 ; rev ised Ju ly 2 6 , 198 3 ; accep ted A ug . 2 9 ,

1 983 . F ro m th e D e par tm ent o f C om m unicat ion , the D iv ision of

C r im inal Jus tice , and the D ep artm en t o f P a tho log y , U niv ers ity o f

D elaw are. A ddress rep rin t req uests to D r. S late r, D ep ar tm en t o f

C o m m un ica tio n , U niv ers ity of D elaw a re, N e w a rk , D E 197 16 .

T h e au thors thank L aw rence D . C ohen fo r h is ass istance .

C opyr igh t

C

984 A m erican Psych ia tr ic A ssoc ia tio n .

T heore tica lly sev era l fac to rs co u ld accoun t fo r a tti-

tudes tow ard fo rensic psych ia try . T he nega tiv ity the

pu b lic h isto rica lly has harb ored to w ard psy ch ia try in

gene ra l (2 -4 ) m ay p rod uce unfav orab le v iew s o f fo ren -

sic psy ch ia try . T he pub lic a lso has a nega tive ste reo -

t ype of the m en tally ill (5 , 6 ) and , in deed , d isp lay s a

tenden cy to link m en tal illn es s an d crim in ality (7 , 8 ), a

conn ectio n pe rh ap s fo stered b y frequen t m ed ia repn e-

sen ta tion s o f m en ta lly ill o ffende rs (9 ) . T o the ex ten t

tha t fo ren sic psych ia tris ts are he ld accou n tab le fo r

re leasing m enta lly ill pe rso ns w h om the p ub lic pe r-

ce ives a s d an ge ro us (10 ) , the p ub lic w ill v iew psy ch ia -

tn is ts nega tive ly . F o r instan ce , new s rep orts inv o lv in g

p sych ia try o ften fo cus on m istakes in th e p red ic tion of

v io lence (1 1 ) . Su ch pred ic tio n e rro rs a re taken as

ev idence tha t psych ia tris ts are fa iling m iserab ly a t the ir

ta sk (12 , 1 3 ) . F u rthe rm ore, nega tive pe rcep tion s o f

fo ren sic psy ch ia try m ay be the re su lt o f th e d istru st th e

pub lic has in the insan ity d efense . In p ub lic op in ion

su rveys a m a jo rity o f A m erican s con sisten tly have

ag reed th at the in san ity de fense is a loo pho le tha t

allo w s to o m any gu ilty peop le to g o free (14 , 15 ).

C om p ou nd in g these effec ts is the im pac t o f m ed ia

rep re sen ta tio ns o f p sych ia tric te stim o ny in h igh ly pu b-

licized crim in al ca se s. F o ren sic psy ch ia tris ts a re g iv en

greate r pub lic expo su re than practitio ne rs in any o the r

a rea o f m ed ic ine , and th at ex posu re is no t alw ays to

the ir bene fit (1 6 ) . In the H in ck ley tr ia l, the fac t tha t

de fen se and prosecu tion psych ia tris ts p re sen ted opp os-

ing te stim o ny m ay h ave evok ed th e pu b lic p ercep tion

tha t fo rensic psy ch ia tris ts have n o com m on s tan da rd s

fo r de te rm in ing lega l in san ity .

A lth oug h m any o f th ese fac to rs m ay lead to nega tive

v iew s of fo rensic psy ch iatry , an in d iv id ua l’s pe rson al

ex pe riences on fam iliar ity w ith psych ia try m ig h t have a

m itiga ting in f luence . It a lso is po ssib le tha t cer ta in

d em og raph ic va riab le s such as age , gend e r, o r edu ca -

tio n a re assoc iated w ith m ore po sitive v iew s o f fo ren sic

psych iatry .

In th is p ap e r w e focus o n p ub lic a ttitud es tow ard


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P U B L IC O PIN IO N O F F O R E N S IC P S Y C H IA T R Y

67 6

A m

J

P sych ia tr y 141 :5 , M a y 198 4

fo rensic psych iatry inv o lved in the courtro om battle o f

an in san ity tria l. A s the m ed ium for exp lo rin g th e

facto rs a ffectin g v iew s of psy ch iatr ic testim ony , w e

h ave u sed pub lic reac tions to th e tr ial o f Joh n H inck-

ley , Jr. In a p rev iou s p ap er 15 ) w e rep orted th e resu lts

o f a co m m u nity su rvey of op in ions abo u t the H inck ley

n o t gu ilty by reaso n of insan ity decis ion , con duc ted

soon afte r the an nou ncem en t o f th e v erd ic t. In tha t

s tudy , resp ond en ts fe lt tha t the ve rd ict w as no t a t all

fa ir, b eliev ed H inck ley w as no t in sane , an d w o u ld have

fou nd h im g u ilty had they b een ju ro rs in the case .

F u rth erm o re , the pe rce ived fa irn es s o f the ve rd ict w as

de term in ed , in p art, by respon den ts’ tru st in the p sy -

ch iatn ic te stim on y . T he cen tral im portance o f v iew s

ab ou t such te stim ony in th at stud y , an d the pau city o f

re sea rch on th e facto rs a ffectin g a ttitud es tow ard

fo rens ic psych iatry , led u s to exam in e in de ta il the de -

te rm inan ts o f pub lic o p in io n abo u t fo rens ic psy ch ia try

in o ur sam ple . In th is pape r w e rep ort o u r f ind in gs.

METHOD

T he respo nden ts w ere 434 m en and w om en from

N ew C astle C o un ty , D el., w ho w ere con tac ted b y

te leph one (rando m dig it d ia ling tech n iqu es w ere used ) .

T h e d em og raph ic cha rac te ris tic s o f th e sam p le g en era l-

ly pa ra lle led 19 80 censu s d ata fo r th e cou n ty , a ltho ugh

w o m en , peo p le in th e 25-34 -y ea r-o ld age rang e, and

m ore h ig h ly educa ted in d iv id ua ls w ere ove rrepn esen t-

ed in th e sam ple as co m pared w ith th e cen sus.

N in e train ed and p aid in te rv iew ers cond uc ted the

su rvey beg inn ing 1 w eek fo llow ing the anno uncem en t

o f the ve rd ic t on fo u r con secu tive even ings fro m Jun e

2 8 to Ju ly 1 , 198 2 . T h e in te rv iew ers in tro du ced them -

se lves to pe rso ns answ ering the te lep hon e and ask ed

fo r the ir reac tions to the H in ck ley tria l. T he re fusa l

n ate w as estim a ted a t ab ou t 5 .

T h e q uestion na ire con ta ined item s re la ted to the

H inck ley tria l, the insan ity de fen se , and v iew s o f

fo rens ic psy ch ia try . T he q uestion s co nce rn in g fo ren sic

p sych ia try w ere as fo llow s: If y ou had b een a ju ro r,

h ow confiden t w ou ld you hav e b een in the psych ia -

tn is ts’ te stim o ny-on a scale o f 1 to S w h ere 1 is n o t a t

a ll con fid en t an d S is ex trem e ly co nfiden t? and T o

w ha t ex ten t do you th ink p sych ia tr is ts can de te rm ine

w he the r som eon e is leg ally insane -do you th in k th ey

can de te rm in e tha t a ll o f the tim e, m ost o f th e tim e ,

som e of the tim e , ev ery once in a w hile , on neve r?

T h e qu es tionn aire a lso inc lud ed item s on m ed ia use ,

a ttitudes tow ard th e d ea th pena lty , pe rcep tio ns o f the

fa irness o f the v e rd ic t, and th e ve rd ic t respon den ts

w ou ld h av e reached h ad th ey b een ju ro rs in th e case .

R espon den ts w ere asked fo r the ir judg m en ts abou t

w he the r H inck ley w as leg a lly insan e, th eir e stim ated

len g th o f h is co nfinem en t, and w he the r he shou ld b e

pun ished , trea ted , on b o th ; the ir k now ledge o f the

de fin ition o f lega l in san ity an d w h eth e r they th oug h t

the in san ity de fense is a lo oph o le ; and the ir ag e, sex ,

race , and leve l o f educa tion .

RESULTS

T he respo nden ts in ou r sam p le expre ssed little con fi-

dence in psy ch iatr ic te stim o ny in the H inck ley tr ial

(m ean ra ting of 2 .19 ) an d in p sych ia tris ts ’ ab ilities to

de term in e lega l in san ity (m ean ra ting o f 3 .2 7 ) . O f the

407 re spo nden ts w h o prov id ed an op in ion , 4 0

(N = 162 ) said th at if th ey h ad been ju ro rs in the

H inck ley tr ial they w ou ld have had no con fid en ce in

th e p sych ia tric te stim o ny ; ano th er 2 0 (N = 8 0) ex -

p re ssed o n ly slig h t con fid en ce . M ore than a q ua rte r o f

th e sam ple (2 8 , N = 1 14) in d ica ted m o dera te con fi-

d en ce , and just 12 .5 (N = S 1) re spon ded th at th ey

w ou ld h av e b een ve ry or ex trem ely co nfiden t in the

p sych ia tris ts’ te stim o ny . A to tal o f 421 re spo nden ts

rep lied w hen asked fo r th eir o p in io n ab ou t th e ex ten t

to w hich psych ia tr is ts co u ld de te rm in e lega l in san ity .

O f th a t to ta l, 48 (1 1 ) answ ered “neve r” and 9 9

(23 .5 ) thou gh t on ly “every o nce in a w hile .” A lm o st

h alf the sam p le (4 7 , N = 198 ) se lec ted th e m id d le

answ er ch o ice o f “ so m e o f the tim e .” S ligh tly le ss th an

o ne ou t o fflv e re sp ond en ts (18 , N = 7 6) be lieved tha t

p sych ia trists co u ld de te rm ine w heth er a person w as

lega lly insan e m o st o r a ll o f th e tim e . T he re spo nses to

th ese tw o q uestion s w ere strong ly re la ted (2105 .31 ,

d f= 12 , p< .O O 1). T he les s re spo nden ts b elieved tha t

psy ch iatris ts w ere ab le to de tec t lega l insan ity , the less

co nfidence they had in the p sych ia tric te stim ony in the

H in ck ley tria l.

T o asce rtain w hich attitu d ina l and dem og raph ic

va riab les w ere de term in an ts o f p ub lic op in ion abou t

fo rensic psy ch ia try , m u ltip le reg ress ion ana lyse s w ith

du m m y v ariab le cod ing as ap propria te w ere pe r-

fo rm ed . In tab le 1 the s tron g re la tionsh ip be tw een

pe rcep tio ns o f the H inck ley p sych ia tr ic te stim o ny and

gene ral tru st in fo rensic p sych ia tr is ts’ ab ilitie s to de ter-

m ine leg al in san ity is ap pa ren t.

R esp ond en ts’ pe rcep tion s o f the fa irn es s o f th e

ve rd ict a lso w ere rela ted to co nfidence in the psy ch ia t-

nc tes tim on y in th e H inck ley tr ial. T h e m ore respon -

den ts pe rce ived the ve rd ic t a s fair , th e m o re confiden t

they w ere in the psy ch iatr ic te stim o ny . A ge w as a

sign ifican t p red ic to r : Y ou ng er in d iv id ua ls ex pres sed

grea te r co nfidence in psy ch iatr ic te stim ony .

In th e secon d m u ltip le reg re ssio n an aly sis , con fi-

dence in the psych iatr ic te stim o ny a t th e tr ial, o p in io ns

ab ou t w he th er H in ck ley w as insane , and o p in io ns o f

w h e th e r he sh ou ld b e trea ted o r pu n ished w ere sig n ifi-

can t p red icto rs o f re spon den ts’ pe rcep tion s o f p sych ia -

tn is ts’ g en era l ab ility to d ete rm ine lega l in san ity . R e-

spo nden ts w ho be lieved H in ck ley w as insane or w ho

favored treatm en t ov e r pun ishm en t fo r H inck ley ex-

p res sed greaten be lie f in psych ia tris ts’ ab ility to de ter-

m ine lega l in san ity . G en de r and ag e w ere sign if ican t

p red icto r va riab le s . W om en w ere m ore like ly than m en

to be lieve in psy ch iatr is ts’ ab ilitie s an d , co nsis ten t w ith

th e f irs t m u ltip le reg res sion an aly sis , y oun ge r peop le

ex pres sed grea ten fa ith in p sych ia tr is ts’ ab ilitie s to

d ete rm ine lega l in san ity .

B ecau se age h ad a m ark ed effec t on resp onses to


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D A N S L A T E R A N D V A L E R IE P . H A N S

A m

J

P sych ia tr y 1 41 :5 , M a y 19 84 67 7

T A B L E 1

esu lts o f

M ult ip le R eg re ss io n A n a lys es o f R esp o n ses to S u rvey o n P u b lic O pin io n o f F o ren s ic P sych ia try

C onf ide nce in C o nf iden ce in

P sych iatric T est im o ny P sy ch iatrists’ A b ili ty to

in H inck ley T ria l D e te rm ine L eg al Insan ity

Var iab le

B eta F ’ B eta F ’

K no w ledge of and a ttitudes to w ard H in ck ley tria l

P erc ep t ion o f fa irne ss o f v erd ict .17 7 .01 k’ .02 0 .07

W h at respon de nts’ ve rd ic t w o uld hav e bee n

C onf idence in psych iatr ic tes tim ony

.08 1 .7 7 .07 1 .24

.28 2 7 .0 6b

Ju dgm en t of w he the r H in ck ley w as insane

.02 0 .1 3 .13 S .27c

K now ledge of co nsequ en ces of no t gu ilty by reason o f insan ity verd ic t .0 4 0 .64 .01 0 .07

E s tim ate o f leng th of H in ck ley ’s con fin em en t

Ju dgm en t of w he the r H in ck ley sh ould be pun ish ed , treated , o r bo th

.0 7 1 .9 3

.06 1 .2 5

- .05 0 .98

- .20 12 .8 2b

G en eral k now led ge an d attitudes

C o nfidence in p sych ia trists ’ ab ility to de te rm ine leg al in san ity

.29 27 .06 ”

K now ledge of defin ition of lega l insan ity - .03 0 .27

.01 0 .01

P erc ep t ion th at insan ity de fen se is a loop ho le .04 0 .55

-.08 1 .94

S cru p le s aga ins t d eath p ena lty

.00 0 .00 .08 2 .21

A bility to reac h g uilty verd ic t in a case in vo lv in g th e de ath pen alty

- .05 0 .6 1 .08 2 .21

D em ogra phic c ha racteristic s

S ex - .03 0 .39 .12 595c

R ace .04 0 .78 .02 0.24

Age -. 11 3 .99’ .1 6 8.86

Educat ion - .08 2 .04 -.02 0 .14

T ele v ision is m ajo r so urce of in form ation abo ut H inck ley tria l .01 0 .01

.04 0 .37

N u m b er of te lev ision n ew sca sts se en p er w ee k

.02 0 .1 1 - .05 0 .85

N u m b er of h ours sp en t w a tch ing tele v is ion per d ay .04 0 .47 .04 0 .62

N e w spap ers are m a jor sou rce of in form a tion abo ut H inck ley tria l .02 0 .06

.02 0 .07

N u m b er of d ay s n ew spa pe rs read p er w eek

M ultip le R 2d

.03 0 .4 2

.28 5 .97 ’

.01 0 .04

.30 6 .58’

df= 1, 306 .

b


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P U B L IC O PIN IO N O F F O R E N S IC P SY C H IA T R Y

67 8

A m ] P sych ia try 141:5 , M ay 1984

p ub lic ’s gene ra l v iew s o f psy ch iatry a t d iffe ren t tim es.

If th e H in ck ley tr ial had resu lted in a gu ilty v e rd ic t,

p ub lic confidence in p sych ia tr is ts’ ab ility to de term in e

leg al in san ity as a g en era l m atte r m igh t have b een

h ighe r . W he the r th e H in ck ley tria l w ill p ro ve to have a

la stin g im p act o n a ttitud es tow ard fo rensic psy ch ia try

cann o t b e answ ered by o ur da ta bu t is a cr itic al issu e

f or f ut ur e r es ea rc h.

T he m ost str ik ing find in g invo lv ing dem ograph ic

ch aracte r is tics w as the effec t o f age . O lde r re sp ond en ts

w ere fan m ore neg ativ e abou t fo rens ic psy ch iatry .

O lden p eo p le a re m o re fea rfu l o f c r im e (1 7) an d m ay

th e re fo re reac t to the insan ity de fense and th e ro le o f

p sych ia try in a case in vo lv ing th e insan ity de fense as a

c rim e con tro l issu e . Ind eed , am o ng o ur o lde r subsam -

p le , th e estim ate o f the leng th o f tim e H inck ley w ou ld

b e con fin ed w as a s ign if ican t p red ic to r o f a ttitude

to w ard psy ch ia tris ts’ ab ilitie s to d e term ine leg a l in san -

i ty:

O lde r peop le w ith in th e sub sam ple w ho p red ic ted

H inck ley w o u ld sp end a re lativ ely sh ort p er iod o f tim e

in confinem en t expre ssed le ss tru st in psy ch iatr is ts’

ab ilitie s . T hus o lden respon den ts m ay be m o re con-

ce rn ed b ecause , be liev ing th at fo ren sic psych ia tr is ts do

n o t h ave th e ab ility to de term in e leg al in san ity , th ey

fee l tha t a d istu rbed an d d an ge ro us pe rso n m ay b e se t

free p rem a tu re ly as a resu lt o f a su ccessfu l no t gu ilty by

reaso n o f insan ity p lea . Y oun ge r pe rso ns, on th e o th er

h an d , a re le ss susp icio us o f psych ia try .

T h e ob v iou s sp lit in o p in io n b etw een you nge r and

o lde r age gro ups m ay resu lt from the link be tw een th e

re sp ond en ts’ ag e an d th e e ra w h en p sych ia try , p sy ch o-

ana lysis , p sych o the rap y , an d psycho log ica l co unse ling

becam e m o re accep ted and accep tab le m e th ods o f

trea tm en t. It co u ld also b e a rg ued th at y oun ge r peop le

iden tif ied w ith th e de fend an t b ecause o f h is age o r h is

p rob lem s w ith h is pa ren ts , w e re m o re sym pa the tic ,

an d , a s a resu lt, w e re m ore tru sting o f p sych ia tr is ts’

judg m en ts ab ou t h im . T he p ossib ility tha t peo p le ’s

v iew o f the va lid ity o f psy ch ia tric ev id ence a t tr ia ls

co u ld b e pa rtly a fu nc tion of th eir iden tif ic atio n w ith

the p ro tago n ists is an in tr igu in g on e. H ow eve r , th e

ove rall pa ttern o f re su lts in the p re sen t stud y ind ica te s

tha t fam iliar ity w ith psych iatry ra th e r th an id en tific a -

tion w ith H inck ley is the m ost lik ely exp lan atio n fo r

the ag e e ffec t.

T he fin d ing tha t w o m en w ere m ore like ly than m en

to ex pre ss con fidence in p sych ia tris ts ’ ab ilities is in te r-

es ting . W illiam s (1 8) n o ted tha t w o m en trad ition ally

h av e b een the m a in co nsu m ers o f psy ch o the rap y , and

in G o ve an d T ud or’s cla ssic study o f sex d iffe ren ces in

m en tal illne ss (1 9 ) , w o m en w ere fou nd to ou tnum ber

m en as pa tien ts in psych ia tric c lin ic s and w ere m ore

lik ely than m en to receiv e trea tm en t by ph ysic ians fo r

m en ta l d iso rde rs . P e rhaps w om en ’s g rea te r expe rien ce

w ith p sych ia try is re spo nsib le fo r reduc in g th e ir lev el

o f m istrust in it. A s a re su lt o f trad ition al sex ro le s ,

w om en a lso m ay be m ore like ly than m en to g ran t

leg itim acy to th e au tho rity f igu re o f the psy ch iatr is t.

F in a lly , som e psych ia tris ts h av e b lam ed the m ed ia

fo r foste rin g nega tive v iew s of th eir p ro fe ssio n (3 , 20 ) .

In ou r stud y , how eve r, no ne o f the f ive m ed ia ex posu re

variab les w as a s ign ifican t p red icto r o f op in ion of

fo ren sic psych ia try . T h us asc rib ing re spo nsib ility to

the m ed ia fo r creatin g o r p erpe tua ting nega tive atti-

tudes tow ard psych ia try app ears m isp laced or a t lea st

p rem a tu re , g iven the lack o f sc ien tific stu dy o f th is

issue.

A s a sam p le o f re sid en ts o f o ne geog raph ica l a rea ,

th is stud y has obv iou s lim ita tio ns in its genera lizab il-

ity. D elaw are res iden ts a re co m parativ ely b ette r edu -

ca ted an d som ew ha t m o re afflu en t than the na tion al

ave rag e, cha rac te ris tics tha t cou ld enh an ce k now ledg e

of and a ttitudes tow ard p sych ia try . H ow ev er , the se

da ta d o offe r new an d sign ifican t ev iden ce of the

de term in an ts o f op in ion abou t fo rens ic psych ia try and

d o sug gest som e im po rtan t a rea s fo r fu tu re re sea rch .

T he causa l re la tionsh ip b e tw een the tw o fo rensic p sy -

ch iatry va riab le s and th e confluence of ing ra ined v iew s

of p sych ia try and pe rcep tions o f spec ific tr ials a re

sub jec ts th at req u ire in vestiga tion . In p articu la r, the

tem p orary o r p erm anen t im pac t o f co n trove rsial tria ls

in vo lv ing the insan ity de fense on v iew s abou t fo ren sic

p sych ia try sho u ld be exp lo red . F u rth erm o re , th e stu dy

of d em ograph ic cha rac ter is tic s and m ass m ed ia in flu -

ence m ig h t enhance our un de rs tan d ing of the fo rm a-

tio n of op in ion ab ou t fo ren sic p sych ia try .

T h e pu b lic ’s op in ion of fo ren sic p sych ia try is co rn -

p lex ; it is com p lica ted by th e pu b lic ’s lack of kno w l-

edg e of b o th p sych ia try an d law . T h e ad ve rsar ia l

p ro cess w ith in w h ich fo rens ic p sych ia tris ts m ust o pen-

a te can have a nega tive in f luence on the op in ion of a

p ub lic un in fo rm ed o f th e w ork in gs o f the lega l sy stem

and leg isla tive ly app rov ed ru le s such as the insan ity

d efense . It is o f in te rest in th is co n tex t to no te the

A m erican P sych ia tric A sso c iatio n ’s sugg es tion th a t

p sych ia tric te stim o ny in insan ity tria ls be lim ited to the

m en tal s ta te , m o tiv atio n , and p sych ia tr ic d iag nos is o f

d efendan ts (1 ): A P A argues tha t by g o ing b ey ond the ir

m ed ica l exp ertise to m ake con clu so ry sta tem en ts

abo u t w he the r de fend an ts a re lega lly insane , adv e rsan i-

a l p sych ia tris ts a re like ly to co nfuse th e ju ry and

u nde rm ine pub lic con fid en ce in psych ia try . Fo rens ic

p sych ia tris ts sho u ld b e co gn izan t o f th e v ariou s e le -

m en ts tha t m ake u p the pu b lic op in ion o f the ir fie ld

and shou ld pursue im prov em en ts in the p ub lic ’s un de r-

stan d ing o f the ro le o f psych ia tris ts in th e cou rtroo m .

R E F E R E N C E S

1. Insan ity D efen se W ork G rou p : A m erican Psych ia tric A ssoc ia -

tio n S tatem ent o n the Insan ity D e fen se. A m J Psychiatry

1 40 :681 -688 , 19 83

2 . W est N D , W alsh M A : P syc h iatry ’s im a ge tod ay : resu lts o f an

atti tud ina l survey . A m J P syc h ia try 132 :13 18 -13 19 , 197 5

3 . C la rk R , M ar tire G : T he im age of psy ch ia try to day . Psych ia tric

O p in io n 1S (11) :1 0-1S , 1 978

4 . M cG uire JM , B orow y T D : A ttitu des tow ard m en ta l hea lth

p ro fess io na ls . P ro fess iona l Psycho log y 1 0 :74-7 9 , 1979

S . Sarb in T R , M an cu so JC : Fa ilu re o f a m oral en te rp rise : a ttitudes

of the pub lic to w ard m enta l illness. J C onsu lt C lin P sych o l

35 :159 -173 , 19 70

6 . R abk in JG : W ho

is

ca lled m en ta lly ill: pu b lic and p ro fess iona l


6/6

D A N S L A T E R A N D V A L E R IE P . H A N S

A m

]

P sych ia try 1 4 1 :5 , M ay 19 84 67 9

v iew s. Jou rna l of C om m u nity P sy ch olo gy 7:2 53-258 , 1 979

7.

S teadm an H J, C ocozza JJ :

S e lec tive rep orting a nd th e p ub lic’s

m isco nc ep tion s of th e crim in ally insa ne. P u blic O p in ion Q u ar-

ter ly 41 :523 -5 33 , 1 97 7

8 . C ava nau gh

JL ,

R ogers R : C onverg ence of m en ta l illn ess and

v io lence : e ffects on pub lic po licy . Psych ia tr ic A nna ls 12 :537 -

541 1982

9. H an ey C , M anzo la tti

J:

T elev is ion crim in o lo gy : n etw ork illu -

s ions of crim in al jus tic e reali ties , in

R ead ing s A bo ut th e S ocial

A nim al . E dited by A ron son E . S an F ran cisco , W H F ree m a n an d

Co 1981

10 . M o rrison JK : T h e pub lic ’s c urre n t bel iefs ab ou t m e nta l i llne ss:

ser iou s ob sta cle s to ef fect ive c om m u nity p syc hology . A m

J

C om m un ity P sycho l 8 :69 7-707 , 198 0

11 . Poy th ress N G , S to ck H V : C om petency to s tand tr ia l: a h is to ri-

cal rev iew an d so m e n ew data . Jo urn al of P sy ch iatry and L aw

8:131-146 1980

1 2 . E n n is B J, L itw ack T R : P sy ch ia try and the presum ption of

expertise : flipp ing co in s in the cou rtroom . C alifo rn ia L aw

R ev ie w 6 2: 69 3- 75 2 19 74

13 . C ocozza JJ ,

S tead m a n H J: P red iction in psy ch iatry : an e xam ple

of m isp laced confiden ce in th e courtroo m . S oc ia l P rob lem s

25:265 -27 6 , 197 8

1 4 . B ronson E J: O n the con v ic tion -p ron en ess and represen ta tive -

ness o f the dea th -qua lified ju ry : an em pirica l s tu dy o f C o lo rado

ve nire m e n . U niv ers ity of C o lorado L aw R ev iew 42 :1-3 2 ,

1970

15 .

H ans V P, S la ter D : John H inck ley , J r, and the insan ity defense:

the pub lic ’s verd ic t. Pub lic O pin ion Q uarte rly 47 :2 02-21 2 ,

1983

1 6 . T uckm an A J, S chne ider M : So c ie ty , c red ib ility and fo rens ic

psych iatry . N ew sle tter o f the A m er ica n A ca de m y o f P sych iatry

and the L aw 7(2 ):19-20 , 1982

17 . Sko gan W G , M ax field M G : C oping W ith C rim e: V ic tim iza tion ,

Fear and R eaction to C rim e in T h ree A m erican C itie s, vo l 1 .

E vanston , Ill, N orthw este rn U nivers ity C en te r fo r U rban A f-

fa irs, 19 80

18 . W illiam s JH : Psycho lo gy o f W o m en , 2 nd ed . N ew Y ork , W W

N o rton & C o, 1977

19 . G o ve W R , T udor JF : A du lt sex ro les and m enta l illness. A JS

78:812-835 1973

20 .

H u sain S A , R ob ins A J: Im pa ct upo n psy ch iatr ic pra ctic e of a

te lev isio n d ocu m e nta ry : “M adn ess an d M e dic ine .” P sych iatric

O pin ion 1S (11) :32 -36 , 1 97 8

A B P N A p p lic a tio n D ead lin e

A pplica tions fo r the 1985 P art I exam ina tio n are curren tly b e in g accep ted by the A m erican

B oard of P sych ia try an d N eu ro logy , In c. A ll ap p lica tions m us t b e rece ived in the B oa rd ’s

execu tive o ffice no la ter than S ep tem b er 1 1 98 4 . N o app lica tion req uests w ill be ta ken a fter

A ugu st 29 , 1 984 . T he ten ta tive da te fo r th e 19 85 P a rt I exam ina tion is A pril 16 , 198 5 .

Fo r app lica tion m ate ria ls , con tac t:

L este r H . R ud y , M .D .

E xecu tive S ecreta ry

A m er ican B oard of Psych ia try and N euro lo gy , Inc .

1 A m erican P laza

S u ite 808

E vans ton , IL 602 01

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