With its short and lively case history, basic documents, and expert commentary, this text is an ideal teaching tool for all who want to evaluate for themselves how society deals with the mentally disordered in the criminal justice process. A chronological account of Stan Stress's case and his obsessive belief in a Vietnam/sports conspiracy is interlaced with evaluations by lawyers, psychologists, and psychiatrists and with the authors' critiques and questions about key issues in the interface between law and psychiatry. This multi-purpose book offers invaluable background for students and teachers, lawyers and mental health professionals to consider.



Stan Stress's case is an important one which raises major questions in the treatment of mentally disordered individuals who are involved in the criminal justice process. The text consists of a brief introduction and six chapters which present the various stages of Stan's involvement in the criminal justice process between 1983 and 1989. The documents included at each stage are presented as they were made available at the time, and commentary and questions connected with each period help the reader become actively involved in interpreting the case and the justice process as it unfolded. Extensive end-notes and a bibliography provide background and sources for further reading on the subject.