Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T17:07:06.082Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Matter of Intent: A Social Obligation to Improve Criminal Procedures for Individuals with Dementia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2021

Jalayne J. Arias  and
Lauren S. Flicker
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The relationship between dementia and criminal behavior perplexes legal and health care systems. Dementia is a progressive clinical syndrome defined by impairment in at least two cognitive domains that interferes with one's activities of daily. Dementia symptoms have been associated with behaviors that violate social norms and constitute criminal actions. A failure to address a gap in policies that support appropriate management of individuals with dementia reflects a failure in our social obligation to care for those who are most vulnerable amongst us. Categorical protections, informed by precedent models applied to juveniles and individuals with psychiatric illness, could help meet a social obligation to provide protections to individuals with dementia. We propose an approach that integrates affirmative defenses to mitigate criminal liability and sentencing restrictions to prevent cruel and unusual punishment.

Type
Independent Articles
Information
Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics , Volume 48 , Issue 2: Opioid Controversies: The Crisis — Causes and Solutions , Summer 2020 , pp. 318 - 327
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

McKhann, G. M., Knopman, D. S., Chertkow, H., Hyman, B. T., Jack, C. R., Kawas, C. H., Klunk, W. E., et al., “The Diagnosis of Dementia Due to Alzheimer's Disease: Recommendations from the National Institute on Aging — Alzheimer's Association Workgroups on Diagnostic Guidelines for Alzheimer's Disease,” Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association 7, no. 3 (2011): 263–269, doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2011.03.005.Google Scholar
Liljegren, M., Naasan, G., Temlett, J., Perry, D.C., Rankin, K. P., Merrilees, J., Grinberg, L. T., Seeley, W.W., Englund, E., and Miller, B. L., “Criminal Behavior in Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer Disease,” JAMA Neurology 72, no. 3 (2015): 295–300, doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.3781.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crimes in the Unites States (2018), available at <https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-theu.s/2018/crime-in-the-u.s.-2018/topic-pages/tables/table-38> (last accessed May 19, 2020); Alzheimer's Association, “2018 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures,” Alzheimer's & Dementia 14, no. 3 (2018): 367–429, doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.02.001.CrossRef+(last+accessed+May+19,+2020);+Alzheimer's+Association,+“2018+Alzheimer's+Disease+Facts+and+Figures,”+Alzheimer's+&+Dementia+14,+no.+3+(2018):+367–429,+doi:+10.1016/j.jalz.2018.02.001.>Google Scholar
Brown, R. T., Ahalt, R. T, C., Rivera, J., Cenzer, I. S., Wilhelm, A., and Williams, B. A., “Good Cop, Better Cop: Evaluation of a Geriatrics Training Program for Police,” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 65, no. 8 (2017): 1842–1847, doi: 10.1111/jgs.14899.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morse, S. J., “Criminal Responsibility and the Disappearing Person,” Cardozo Law Review 28, no. 6 (2007): 2545-2575.Google Scholar
Carroll, J. E., “Brain Science and the Theory of Juvenile Mens Rea,” North Carolina Law Review 94, no. 2 (2015): 539-600.Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
American Law Institute, “Model Penal Code,” (1962), available at <https://www.ali.org/publications/show/model-penal-code/> (last visited April 27, 2020).+(last+visited+April+27,+2020).>Google Scholar
Arizona Revised Statutes, 2019, “13-1203 — Assault; Classification,” available at <https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/01203.htm> (last visited April 27, 2020).+(last+visited+April+27,+2020).>Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551 (2005).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S. 460 (2012).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
J.D.B. v. North Carolina, 564 U.S. 261 (2011).Google Scholar
Carroll 2015, supra note 6.Google Scholar
American Law Institute 1962, supra note 9.Google Scholar
Corrado, M., “Automatism and the Theory of Action,” Emory Law Journal 39, no. 4 (1990): 1191-1228.Google Scholar
Schlatter v. State, 891 N.E.2d 1139 (2008).Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Roper, supra note 12.Google Scholar
Atkins v. Virginia (00-8452) 536 U.S. 304 (2002) 260 Va. 375, 534 S. E. 2d 31Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Madison v. Alabama, 2019, 33.Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Burns, R., “Diversion Programs Say They Offer a Path Away From Court,” ProPublica, November 13, 2018, available at <https://www.propublica.org/article/diversion-programs-illinois-criminal-justice-system-bounceback-correctivesolutions> (last visited April 27, 2020).+(last+visited+April+27,+2020).>Google Scholar
Widgery, A., The Legislative Primer Series for Front End Justice: Mental Health (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2018), at 11.Google Scholar
Center for Health and Justice, “A National Survey of Criminal Justice Diversion Programs and Initiatives,” (2013), available at <http://Www2.Centerforhealthandjustice.Org/Sites/Www2.Centerforhealthandjustice.Org/Files/Publications/CHJ%20Diversion%20Report_web.Pdf> (last visited April 27, 2020).+(last+visited+April+27,+2020).>Google Scholar
National Conference of State Legislatures, “Pretrial Diversion,” (2017), available at <http://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/pretrial-diversion.aspx> (last visited April 27, 2020).+(last+visited+April+27,+2020).>Google Scholar
“Juvenile Age of Jurisdiction and Transfer to Adult Court Laws,” (2019), available at <http://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/juvenile-age-of-jurisdiction-and-transfer-to-adult-court-laws.aspx> (last visited April 27, 2020).+(last+visited+April+27,+2020).>Google Scholar
“Dementia,” (2018), available at <https://medlineplus.gov/dementia.html> (last visited April 27, 2020).+(last+visited+April+27,+2020).>Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Liljegren, supra note 2.Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Squire, T., “Minneapolis Businessman with Brain Illness Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charge,” Twin Cities, November 14, 2017, available at <https://www.twincities.com/2017/11/14/minneapolis-businessman-with-brain-illness-pleads-guilty-to-child-pornography-charge/> (last visited April 27, 2020).+(last+visited+April+27,+2020).>Google Scholar
The Canadian Press, “87-Year-Old Dementia Patient Accused of Killing Wife Remains in Limbo at Calgary Psychiatric Hospital | CBC News,” CBC (2017), available at <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/fred-van-zuiden-psychiatric-aging-justice-challenges-wife-killed-1.4456028> (last visited April 27, 2020).+(last+visited+April+27,+2020).>Google Scholar
Alzheimer's Association, supra note 3.Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Rabinovici, G., “Late-Onset Alzheimer Disease,” Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology 25, no. 1 (2019): 14–33, doi: 10.1212/CON.0000000000000700.Google Scholar
Liljegren, supra note 2.Google Scholar
Bang, J., Spina, S., and Miller, B. L., “Frontotemporal Dementia,” The Lancet 386, no. 10004 (2015): 1672–1682, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00461-4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deleon, J. and Miller, B. L., “Chapter 27 - Frontotemporal Dementia,” in Neurogenetics, Part II, vol. 148, Handbook of Clinical Neurology, ed. Geschwind, D. H., Paulson, H. L., and Klein, C., (Elsevier, 2018): 409–430, doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-64076-5.00027-2.Google Scholar
Kelley, R. E. and El-Khoury, R., “Frontotemporal Dementia,” Neurologic Clinics Neurobehavioral Manifestations of Neurological Diseases: Diagnosis and Treatment 34, no. 1 (2016): 171–181, doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2015.08.007.Google Scholar
“Dementia” 2018, supra note 30.Google Scholar
Bang, supra note 40.Google Scholar
McKeith, I.G., et al., “Diagnosis and Management of Dementia with Lewy Bodies: Third Report of the DLB Consortium,” Neurology 65, no. 12 (2005): 1863-1872.Google Scholar
Carroll, supra note 6.Google Scholar
Math, S. B., Kumar, C. N., and Moirangthem, S., “Insanity Defense: Past, Present, and Future,” Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine 37, no. 4 (2015): 381–387, doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.168559.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Falk, N., Cole, A., and Meredith, T. J., “Evaluation of Suspected Dementia,” American Family Physician 97, no. 6 (2018): 398-405.Google Scholar
Cox, D., “The Role of Neuropsychological Testing in the Care of Older Adults,” British Columbia Medical Journal 53, no. 8 (2011): 416-420.Google Scholar
Morris, J. C., “The Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR): Current Version and Scoring Rules,” Neurology 43, no. 11 (1993): 2412–2414, doi: 10.1212/WNL.43.11.2412-a.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Amjad, H., Roth, D. L., Sheehan, O. C., Lyketsos, C. G., Wolff, J. L., and Samus, Q. M., “Underdiagnosis of Dementia: An Observational Study of Patterns in Diagnosis and Awareness in US Older Adults,” Journal of General Internal Medicine 33, no. 7 (2018): 1131–1138, doi: 10.1007/s11606-018-4377-y.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deleon, supra note 41.Google Scholar
Johnson, K. A., Minoshima, S., Bohnen, N. I., Donohoe, K. J., Foster, N. L., Herscovitch, P., Karlawish, J. H., et al., “Appropriate Use Criteria for Amyloid PET: A Report of the Amyloid Imaging Task Force, the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, and the Alzheimer's Association,” Alzheimer's & Dementia 9, no. 1 (2013): E1–16, doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.01.002.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roper, supra note 12; Miller, supra note 13.Google Scholar
Roper, supra note 12.Google Scholar
Brown et al., supra note 4.Google Scholar
Brown et al., supra note 4.Google Scholar
Brown et al., supra note 4.Google Scholar