Therapeutic Jurisprudence

Therapeutic jurisprudence is the study of the potential of law to heal or harm. It originally emerged in the mental health law field and uses the tools of the behavioral sciences to assess law's impact. It seeks to assess the therapeutic and counter-therapeutic consequences of law and how law is applied. When reform would be consistent with other important legal values, it seeks to reshape law and legal processes in ways that can improve the psychological functioning and emotional well-being of those affected. This collection of seven essays covers such topics as mental health law, anorexia, narrative medical competence, neighbourhood disputes and stalking intervention orders, and the evolving role of judicial officers.