Abstract

CASTILLO RAMIREZ, Sisy. Importancia de la psiquiatría forense en el proceso penal. Med. leg. Costa Rica [online]. 1999, vol.16, n.1-2, pp.14-21. ISSN 2215-5287.

Psychiatry as a part of medicine is a science that studies the normal and abnormal behavior of a person, its task is study, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of behavior disorders and mental pathologies, in which many other factors have influence, among this exist genetics , physical, chemical, psycologic and socio-envirommental factors. The psychologist role is objective, doing his homework through a basic instrument such as a psychiatric interview, and a mental review, to put on as base the opportunities of using back up instruments like psychologic tests and other sources of information. Forensic Psychiatry implies Psychiatric Medico-Legal knowledge, where clinic psychiatry transforms in a aplicable language with a common goal, to colaborate with in the different legal areas: penal, civil, family, laboral, answering to the questions of the legal authorities, being the psychologist considered the expert. The psychologist has to make a written report in which the mental capacity is established , many people would consider this as an element of the process , to direct its legal conduct. The experts when writing the evaluation might interfere again with the process when he adds up the document , or with his active participation in the debate and this is requested by the dispatch. The use of forensic psychiatry implies posibles aplications that involve health cares in the job until Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

Keywords : Psychiatry; Law; Expertize.