An introduction to forensic psychiatry.

Date:
1980
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Credit

An introduction to forensic psychiatry. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

About this work

Description

By means of a re-enacted interview with a patient, Professor John Gunn reviews the interrelationship between the clinical and legal roles of the psychiatrist in diagnosing mental states of alleged criminals and in their trial and disposal. He explores the differing concepts of 'responsiblity', and looks at the three phases where the psychiatrist's contribution is critical: a) in the evaluation of fitness to plead, b) in the establishment of intent to commit a crime, and c) in the sentencing, choice of treatment and long-term care. 7 segments.

Publication/Creation

London : University of London Audio-Visual Centre, 1980.

Physical description

1 encoded moving image (36.14 min.) : sound, color.

Duration

00:36:14

Copyright note

University of London

Terms of use

Unrestricted
CC-BY-NC
Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 2.0 UK: England & Wales

Language note

In English

Creator/production credits

Presented by John Gunn, Professor of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London. With Richard Ireson. Medical Editor, Julian Bird. Produced by Martin Hayden. Made by University of London Audio-Visual Centre. Made for British Postgraduate Medical Federation.

Notes

This video is one of around 310 titles, originally broadcast on Channel 7 of the ILEA closed-circuit television network, given to Wellcome Trust from the University of London Audio-Visual Centre shortly after it closed in the late 1980s. Although some of these programmes might now seem rather out-dated, they probably represent the largest and most diversified body of medical video produced in any British university at this time, and give a comprehensive and fascinating view of the state of medical and surgical research and practice in the 1970s and 1980s, thus constituting a contemporary medical-historical archive of great interest.

Contents

Segment 1 A restaged scene in which a patient (played by an actor) describes how he found his wife covered in blood. Professor Gunn describes how this is based on a real patient of his who he names here, Sam. He introduces the subject of forensic psychiatry. Time start: 00:00:00:00 Time end: 00:05:02:16 Length: 00:05:02:16
Segment 2 Gunn discusses issues of responsibility and how certain psychiatric conditions can be considered excuses for criminal behaviour in court. Time start: 00:05:02:16 Time end: 00:10:10:00 Length: 00:05:07:09
Segment 3 Gunn is shown with patient Sam as the re-enactment of the case continues. Gunn asks Sam a series of questions to ascertain his role in the death of his wife. Time start: 00:10:10:00 Time end: 00:14:10:15 Length: 00:04:00:15
Segment 4 We cut back to Gunn in the studio where he reads information out from the trial record. Although it was clear that Sam was suffering from epilepsy, the court ruled that he was not in a state of altered consciousness at the time of the murder and he is sentenced to life imprisonment. Time start: 00:14:10:15 Time end: 00:19:28:15 Length: 00:05:18:00
Segment 5 Gunn discusses the McNaughton Rules which allow for acquittal of suspects if their mental health means they are not fully responsible for their actions. He then discusses the Homicide Act from 1957. Time start: 00:19:28:15 Time end: 00:24:32:00 Length: 00:05:03:10
Segment 6 Gunn talks about sentencing and how decisions are made whether someone should go to hospital or prison. The re-enactment with Sam then continues, with Sam discussing what happened to him in prison. Time start: 00:24:32:00 Time end: 00:31:47:00 Length: 00:05:15:00
Segment 7 Gunn concludes the story of Sam by saying that it became obvious later that he didn't know what he was doing with he murdered his wife as the prison reported him having epileptic fits followed by confusional paranoid and agressive episodes. Time start: 00:31:47:00 Time end: 00:36:14:24 Length: 00:04:27:24

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