We are now closed for the Christmas and New Year period, reopening on Friday 3rd January 2025. Orders placed during this time will be processed upon our return on 3rd January.
This work sets out to show that all attempts at reformulating insanity have been surrounded by controversy. This is because of the insanity defence's foundation on a rigid distinction between responsibility (sanity) and irresponsibility (insanity) - a distinction at odds with psychiatric theory. The author examines the diminished responsibility defence and its success in abating the medico-legal controversy surrounding the insanity defence. This is achieved by adopting a multi-jurisdictional approach (American, Irish and English developments are examined) and by exploring legal, medical and socio-legal historical writings on this subject.