The Death Penalty and Intellectual Disability is the authoritative resource on the application of diagnostic information concerning intellectual disability (ID) in death penalty cases, and will be useful to all professionals involved in ID determination processes within the criminal justice system.

In a landmark Atkins v. Virginia decision in 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing someone with ID is a violation of the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. In its 2014 Hall v. Florida decision, the Court ruled that, while states have the right to establish their own rules for handling Atkins cases, they cannot ignore scientific and medical consensus on the diagnosis of ID, which considers both IQ test scores and measures of adaptive behavior.

The publication addresses the following critical topics:

• The definition of ID, diagnostic criteria, and analyses of Atkins cases
• Assessment considerations
• Intellectual functioning, including IQ testing and the Flynn effect
• Adaptive behavior

Also discussed are related topics including cultural and linguistic considerations,  competence to waive Miranda rights and to stand trial, retrospective diagnosis, malingering, comorbid disorders, educational records, and professional issues.

You may purchase the e-book version of The Death Penalty and Intellectual Disability by clicking here. 

Preface by Edward A. Polloway, Editor
Foreword by Honorable Kevin F. Foley

Chapters by

• Edward A. Polloway, James R. Patton, and J. David Smith
• Marc J. Tassé
• Gary N. Siperstein and Melissa A. Collins
• John H. Blume and Karen Salekin
•  Keith F. Widaman
• Stephen Greenspan, George W. Woods, and Harvey N. Switzky
• Kevin S. McGrew
• Dale G. Wilson
• Stephen Greenspan and J. Gregory Olley
• Stephen Greenspan
• J. Gregory Olley
• Caroline Everington, Gilbert S. Macvaugh III, Karen L. Salekin, and Timothy J. Derning 
• Richard Ruth
• Karen L. Salekin and Caroline Everington
• Denis W. Keyes and David Freedman
• George W. Woods, David Freedman, and Timothy J. Derning
• James R. Patton
• Karen L. Salekin, Gilbert S. Macvaugh III, and Timothy J. Derning
• Gilbert S. Macvaugh III, Mark D. Cunningham, and Marc J. Tassé