Question 1

There is currently a push in Canada to allow for the indefinite detention of people who are NCRMD and deemed to be at high-risk of re-offending (i.e., Bill C-54). According to the Chief Justice of Canada's Supreme Court, this is:

Accepted Answer

The Chief Justice of Canada's Supreme Court has expressed concerns about Bill C-54, stating that indefinite detention of NCRMD individuals would violate their rights and undermine the principles of fundamental justice. Additionally, evidence suggests that the current system is effective in managing and treating individuals who are NCRMD, with a low rate of re-offending. Therefore, there may not be a need for such a drastic change in policy.

Question 2

Saskatchewan is distinct from other provinces in Canada regarding the criteria for involuntary admission by jurisdiction in that individuals are not committed if:

Accepted Answer

Saskatchewan's criteria for involuntary admission require that individuals must not be committed if they are capable of making treatment decisions. This means that individuals who are able to understand their treatment options and make decisions about their care cannot be involuntarily admitted.

Question 3

Louis Riel believed that he had been selected by the spirits to bring forward the message of the Métis. Indeed, Riel displayed many symptoms of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Louis Riel believed that he had been...

Question 4

Louis Riel was executed for his role in the 1885 North-West rebellion despite the following psychiatric evidence that he was either insane at the time or was unfit to stand trial:

Accepted Answer

Riel had indeed spent time in psychiatric institutions before the 1885 North-West Rebellion, which was part of the evidence suggesting he might have been mentally unfit for trial.

Question 5

What is the distinction between insanity and competency or fitness to stand trial?

Accepted Answer

Insanity and competency refer to different points in time during a legal process. Competency refers to the defendant's mental state at the time of the trial, while insanity concerns the defendant's mental state at the time of the crime. Someone can be found competent to stand trial but later found to have been insane at the time of the crime.

Question 6

Neuroscience has been used to help reduce people's prison sentences, as:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Neuroscience has been used to help reduce...

Question 7

According to an article by Viljoen and colleagues (2003), only medical practitioners (not psychologists)are qualified to provide court-ordered assessments:

Accepted Answer

According to Viljoen and colleagues (2003), only medical practitioners are qualified to provide court-ordered assessments of fitness and criminal responsibility. The other options (A, B, and D) may also require assessments, but the article specifically mentions medical practitioners as the only qualified professionals for assessments of fitness and criminal responsibility.

Question 8

A comparison of people found NGRI to people found NCRMD revealed that there was a ____________ in the number of cases following the enactment of Bill C-30.

Accepted Answer

According to the passage, Bill C-30 led to an increase in the number of people found NCRMD, suggesting that there was a substantial increase in cases of that nature.

Question 9

What is the purpose of the FIT-R?

Accepted Answer

The FIT-R (Fitness Interview Test-Revised) is a tool used to objectively assess whether a defendant is fit to stand trial. It evaluates various aspects of the defendant's cognitive ability and understanding of the legal proceedings. Its purpose is to provide an objective assessment of fitness, rather than relying solely on a subjective clinical judgement.

Question 10

Which province differs from the rest of Canada in that even if the rest of the criteria for Involuntary Admission by Jurisdiction are satisfied, individuals are not committed if they are capable of making a treatment decision?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which province differs from the rest of...

Question 11

What condition could lawyers have argued that Louis Riel had suffered from when he led the Northwest Rebellion?

Accepted Answer

Megalomania is a condition characterized by delusions of grandeur and an inflated sense of self-importance. This could have been argued as a condition that Louis Riel suffered from when he led the Northwest Rebellion, as he believed that he was a prophet and that he had a divine mission to lead the Métis people to independence.

Question 12

According to the provisions of Bill C-30, the maximum period of fitness assessment is set at:

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the provisions of Bill C-30,...

Question 13

According to your textbook, which of the following provinces has not implemented some form of community treatment orders?

Accepted Answer

New Brunswick has not implemented community treatment orders, unlike the other provinces listed.

Question 14

Which of the following is not a component of the FIT-R?

Accepted Answer

The FIT-R (Fitness Interview Test - Revised) assesses a defendant's competency to stand trial, focusing on their understanding of the legal proceedings and ability to participate in their defense, not specifically on their ability to communicate clearly while on the stand.

Question 15

The Fitness Interview Test that was developed in Canada assesses all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The Fitness Interview Test assesses an individual's understanding of the legal proceedings, their possible consequences, and their ability to communicate with their lawyer. It does not directly assess whether the person is mentally ill, as mental illness alone does not determine fitness to stand trial. Fitness to stand trial is more about the person's current ability to engage with the legal process rather than a diagnosis of mental illness.

Question 16

You are an attorney appointed to represent a poor client accused of rape who has a history of mental illness. During your first several meetings, the man is completely incoherent. Which of the following issues should you address first?

Accepted Answer

The first issue that needs to be addressed is the defendant's fitness to stand trial. If the defendant is incoherent and unable to assist in their own defense, they may not be competent to stand trial. This issue needs to be addressed before any other legal defenses or strategies can be pursued.

Question 17

A review conducted by Canadian researchers on the insanity defence (aka NCRMD)found that:

Accepted Answer

The review conducted by Canadian researchers found that the insanity defence is rarely used, typically only successful when applied to severely disordered people, and people who are found to be insane are often detained for very long periods of time. Therefore, all of the above are correct.

Question 18

Jeffrey Dahmer, the serial killer, was an example of a criminal who was:

Accepted Answer

Jeffrey Dahmer was diagnosed with several mental illnesses, including borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia, but was not legally insane at the time of his crimes according to the law. He was found to be able to understand the nature of his actions and that they were wrong, but he still chose to commit them. Therefore, he was considered mentally ill but not legally insane.

Question 19

Which of the following are among the dimensions on which provinces differ with respect to their criteria for involuntary admission?

Accepted Answer

The dimensions on which provinces differ with respect to their criteria for involuntary admission include the criterion for harm (whether the individual poses a risk to themselves or others), definitions of mental disorder (what constitutes a mental illness), and the need for treatment. These are all captured in option A. The other options either miss key dimensions, include irrelevant dimensions, or are incorrect.

Question 20

What is the Riel phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

Misidentification of the self is known as the Riel phenomenon.

Quiz 18: Legal and Ethical Issues

There is currently a push in Canada to allow for the indefinite detention of people who are NCRMD and deemed to be at high-risk of re-offending (i.e., Bill C-54) . According to the Chief Justice of Canada's Supreme Court, this is: