The gradual graying of individuals accused of crimes, as well as of those already incarcerated, may turn into a silver tsunami for the criminal legal system. The general population is living longer, and the cognitive challenges that may accompany this can cause criminal conduct. And because of draconian prison sentences, including lengthy mandatory minimums and three-strikes laws, our prison population is growing older. Edited by criminal defense lawyer Elizabeth Kelley, Representing People with Dementia: A Practical Guide for Criminal Defense Lawyers provides easily digestible information for lawyers representing this growing, nontraditional population. This book contains chapters written by mental health experts, academics, and attorneys. It covers every stage of the criminal justice process as it affects people with dementia, from the initial concerns of competency and criminal responsibility to conditions in jail and prisons. It also addresses topics such as testing, neuroimaging, and working with the expert. Kelley, echoing the words of attorney Bryan Stevenson in his oral argument in Madison v. Alabama, writes: "This book is an attempt to help those who, because of dementia, are fragile, bewildered, and vulnerable-and to give their attorneys the tools to obtain a fair and just resolution of their case."
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