XIX ISA World Congress of Sociology (July 15-21, 2018)

292

Mental Health and the Courts

RC15 Sociology of Health (host committee)

Language: English

Mental health diagnoses carry different power in different sites; none may be more problematic than within the legal system. Diagnoses of schiziphrenia or substance use disorder can impact ones access to employment, self determination, and parental rights. Other conditions, such as personality disorders may be less well-understood by courts and less impactful, regardless of empirical evidence of their relevance. Nonetheless, diagnoses can be used as labels or accusations for the purposes of name-calling, or disregarded entirely by a system untrained in their sometimes relevance. This session will focus on the intersection of mental health diagnoses and legal systems, with an emphasis on the power dynamics and consequences for various actors. Research which addreses children's rights, intersectional inequalities or offer empirical or theoretical insights will be especially welcomed, though the call is open to all related topics.