Anti-Social Personality Disorder --

​The Current well-meaning and unscientific psychiatric classification system -- unfairly prejudiceS many in the Criminal Justice System including many people of Color and many people with COMPLEX COGNITIVE DISABILITIES-- leading to Structural Racism and rampant DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION.

Deconstructing a  MESS:  Anti-Social Personality Disorder Diagnosis

​
Kathleen Wayland
Habeas Corpus Resource Center

Sean O'Brien
​University of Missouri at Kansas City - School of Law

Abstract
Prejudicial psychiatric labels such as antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy have an inherently prejudicial effect on courts and juries, particularly in cases involving the death penalty.

This article explains how and why these labels are inherently aggravating, and also discusses the mental health literature indicating that they are subjective, unreliable and non-scientific.

The authors conclude that no competent defense lawyer would pursue a mitigation case based on such a damaging and scientifically questionable psychiatric label.

Further, a proper life history investigation conducted in accordance with the ABA Guidelines on the Appointment and Performance of Defense Counsel in Death Penalty Cases and the Supplementary Guidelines on the Mitigation Function of Defense Teams in Death Penalty Cases will lead to more fruitful avenues of mitigation and enable the defense to avoid or refute prejudicial psychiatric labels in virtually every case.

Rough Draft Table:  
Diseases, Disorders, Exposures, Etc. Related to Psychiatric Symptoms

WHAT"S THE POINT?
  • Psychiatric Symptoms are not some oddball rarity even if the most extreme of those is not the norm
  • The Assumptions of the Criminal Justice System are TOO SIMPLISTIC and INCORRECT to achieve JUSTICE​
  • This Table isn't just relevant to "Anti-Social Personality Disorder" -- but it is relevant to concerns that much is missed with that diagnosis.