Abstract
Traditional social attitudes toward the mentally ill and mentally retarded, which were based upon misinformation, misunderstanding, and fear, have impeded the development of concern for the legal rights of those so afflicted. Even more, the development of legal services for the enforcement of the substantive and procedural rights of the mentally disabled has not matched comparable developments for those accused of crime. To remedy this gap in our application of justice to one another, it is essential that a system of legal advocacy be established for the mentally disabled, based upon adequate clinical training of lawyers, and their availability as specialists, to provide a continuity of services matching that of their clients’ disabilities.
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