The interrelation between legal and clinical insanity in criminal law

Abstract

It is not possible to understand holistically the issues relating to Criminal Insanity without any appreciation of the medical perspective on the subject. Although it regulates human behaviour, Law does not have the know-how to actually understand or even explain such behaviour. Law should make use as, in fact it does of other human sciences, in this case that of medicine, to supplement these gaps which neither substantive nor procedural rules are expected to fill. In order to understand insanity one's studies have to be supplemented with at least a basic understanding of medical issues pertinent to the subject. This makes up the interrelation between legal and medical insanity which this thesis will be tackling. The interrelation between these two fields is not just a state of fact but it is a state of necessity which will permit one to get a clearer picture of insanity.