This is a seminal work that should be read by anyone interested in the field of mental health. Although a layman can red it, I think it is probably a book for those entering into the field. I do think its worth the read for an amateur.

Great book. Practical, precise, would be a good reference for whoever is working on identifying forensic mental health. A number of known cases were analysed in-depth, such as Vincent Li etc. Cases that are chosen are quite representative, they could cover various aspects of the topic, and the book gives concrete following up on the cases and how does the case influence the forensic mental health discussion scene.

The book provides a great overview of Canadian legal system and structure, it also dealt in great length with the development of forensic mental health discussion, on a case by case level. Highly recommend, esp. for academic use.

I was so surprised and delighted to spot this text on NetGalley - I couldn't believe my love of reading and reviewing, and my professional life could intersect so perfectly!

Working in forensic psychiatry, I just love reading cases. Almost to a pathological extent. So this text, which generally chronologically discusses landmark Canadian cases suited me extremely well. The authors have set out the text highlighting important cases in specific areas of legal and psychiatric interest, such as fitness to stand trial, insanity defense etc. They have useful summaries at the end of each chapter, with tables that allow for easy reference. However, this text is incredibly readable and I tore through it like a novel - it was particularly good on those days I was working in Prison and couldn't see patients due to lock down.

As an Australian, the cases are not directly applicable to my work, however the themes do cross the distance and it was very interesting to read how some of the issues Canada grappled with in the late 80s and 90s are things that we still deal with here.

Overall, this is a very satisfying text.

I was curious about this book and found that, even though I do not live in Canada, there is much that can be applied no matter where you live. This is a well-written textbook backed by extensive research. I recommend this to anyone who is involved in this area or for those who are curious to know more.

My thanks to NetGalley and the University of Toronto Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this title.

5 "superb, helpful, clear" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the authors and University of Toronto press for a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

The authors are a forensic psychiatrist and professor of Social Work and they have written one of the best textbooks I have ever encountered. The book is clear, helpful, well-written, interesting and useful for forensic mental health professionals and those with interests in this area. They have systematically and carefully laid out important topics in this area, legal precedents from Canada as well as the USA and UK when indicated. They also discuss clinical issues with regards to assessment and report writing in a clear and respectful manner.

Topics included
1. Landmark Cases
2.Expert Testimony
3.Insanity Defense(s)
4.Criminal Responsibility
5.Clarifying Wrongfulness
6.Voluntariness
7.Fitness to Stand Trial
8.Access to Treatments and Records
9.Duty to Warn
10.Consent to Treatment
11.Assessing Damages in Civil Tort Cases

Who would have thought that a TEXTBOOK might likely end up in my top ten of the year list :)

Kudos !

As someone who only knows a small amount of Canadian Law, I really liked that what makes up Canadian Law was broken down into fragments to make it easier for us layman's who wish to learn more. Especially of that in the mental health arena for forensic science. Graham and Cheryl put a lot of time into the research aspects of this text, and it shows.

I have always been fascinated with psychiatric forensic science, and being able to see the how far we have come in our Canadian Law to better deal with these individuals with these particular set of issues, is amazing. I know we will continue to break grounds in this area, not just for the consequences of those guilty, but for the rehabilitation of those who did wrong, but didn't have the mental capacity to understand that.

I would surely recommend this text to anyone interested in this field of study, be they a student going into the field, or someone like me and is just curious to learn about it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Forensic mental health is a fascinating yet complex topic. This book definitely isn't light reading. But it is very well researched and written. While this pertains to Canadian cases, the various factors involving mental illness and forensics applies worldwide.