Young J L, Griffith E E
Transitional Treatment Unit, Whiting Forensic Institute, Middletown, Connecticut.
Bull Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 1989;17(3):257-67.
The work of forensic psychiatrists has expanded into the controversial area of cases involving new religious movements. Challenges to the expert witness in such cases include new questions and a large body of relevant literature. Published appeals decisions have appeared with judicial comments on the conduct of the involved experts. This article presents the comments about expert witnesses from judges who decided cases involving the major new issues of coercion both in recruitment into and forcible abduction from cults, and competency to join and make donations to these groups. The judicial comments are evaluated using relevant literature from the fields of law, psychiatry, and religion. This provides a basis for general observations and suggestions regarding the involvement of psychiatric experts in cult-related cases.
法医精神病学家的工作已扩展到涉及新宗教运动案件这一颇具争议的领域。在此类案件中，对专家证人的挑战包括新出现的问题以及大量相关文献。已公布的上诉裁决中出现了对涉案专家行为的司法评论。本文呈现了那些裁决涉及邪教招募过程中的强迫行为、从邪教中强行绑架、加入邪教及向这些团体捐款的能力等重大新问题案件的法官对专家证人的评论。运用法律、精神病学和宗教领域的相关文献对这些司法评论进行了评估。这为就精神病学专家参与邪教相关案件提出一般性观察结论和建议提供了依据。
