Mental Illness: Prejudice, Discrimination, and the Law (Medico-Legal Series)

The authors of this book point out that to discriminate is to disfavour a person or group on grounds which are irrelevant to the matter in hand in ways which manifest unreasonable disvaluation of the type of person involved. Those who are labelled mentally ill experience systematic discrimination in a number of areas including healthcare, personal liberty, civil rights, employment and education. The book develops a conceptual framework centring on the rights and interests of the mentally ill and articulates a non-discriminatory approach to the allocation of benefits and burdens as it affects this group. Areas covered include an analysis of the nature of mental illness, the rights and duties associated with such illness, a critique of mental health legislation and the development of proposals for affirmative action to benefit the mentally ill in areas such as employment and education.