Mental State Defences in Criminal Law

By presenting an interdisciplinary analysis of various factors which inform mental state defences in criminal law, this book provides several practical and robust reform proposals. By exploring appropriate boundaries for the defence of insanity and the doctrine of automatism, this book suggests a consistent and principled approach to the reform of mental state defences. In illustrating the competing demands which must be balanced in order to secure such an approach to the reform of mental state defences, this book shows its relevance to all common law countries.