Assessment of Intent—an Approach to the Preparation of Court Reports

¹ Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF

In a minority of persons interviewed for the purposes of a court report it will be found impossible to determine retrospectively their intention at the material time with any exactness. This in itself is an indication of an abnormal mental state when the alleged crime was committed, irrespective of how the accused may appear when interviewed later. As well as issues arising under the McNaughton Rules or Diminished Responsibility to which intention is relevant, many offences require a specific intention to be proved so that the reporting psychiatrist should enquire into the accused's intention when preparing a court report.