Alec Buchanan is a forensic psychiatrist working at the Institute of Psychiatry in London. He has published research on the phenomenology of mental illness and the assessment of risk.

`Following a detailed and sophisticated review of legal theory and practice Buchanan concludes that legal tests of excuse and mitigation boil down to two questions. The first is `did he have it?' (intent). The second is `did he do it?' (action)…Buchanan argues that such an approach fails the severely mentally ill by not taking account of the extent of the underlying disability…the general detail and sophistication of Buchanan's discourse will justifiably serve to establish this slim volume as a standard reference.'

• 1. Preliminaries. 2. The Theory of Justification and Excuse. 3. Psychiatric Aspects of Mitigation. 4. How Can Mental States Excuse? 5. What Does the Law Allow to Excuse? 6. Drawbacks of the Present Provision. 7. Alternatives to the Present Provision. Cases Cited. References. Index.

Alec Buchanan is a forensic psychiatrist working at the Institute of Psychiatry in London. He has published research on the phenomenology of mental illness and the assessment of risk.

`Following a detailed and sophisticated review of legal theory and practice Buchanan concludes that legal tests of excuse and mitigation boil down to two questions. The first is `did he have it?' (intent). The second is `did he do it?' (action)…Buchanan argues that such an approach fails the severely mentally ill by not taking account of the extent of the underlying disability…the general detail and sophistication of Buchanan's discourse will justifiably serve to establish this slim volume as a standard reference.'

• 1. Preliminaries. 2. The Theory of Justification and Excuse. 3. Psychiatric Aspects of Mitigation. 4. How Can Mental States Excuse? 5. What Does the Law Allow to Excuse? 6. Drawbacks of the Present Provision. 7. Alternatives to the Present Provision. Cases Cited. References. Index.

Alec Buchanan is a forensic psychiatrist working at the Institute of Psychiatry in London. He has published research on the phenomenology of mental illness and the assessment of risk.

`Following a detailed and sophisticated review of legal theory and practice Buchanan concludes that legal tests of excuse and mitigation boil down to two questions. The first is `did he have it?' (intent). The second is `did he do it?' (action)…Buchanan argues that such an approach fails the severely mentally ill by not taking account of the extent of the underlying disability…the general detail and sophistication of Buchanan's discourse will justifiably serve to establish this slim volume as a standard reference.'

• 1. Preliminaries. 2. The Theory of Justification and Excuse. 3. Psychiatric Aspects of Mitigation. 4. How Can Mental States Excuse? 5. What Does the Law Allow to Excuse? 6. Drawbacks of the Present Provision. 7. Alternatives to the Present Provision. Cases Cited. References. Index.