Textbook of Forensic Psychopathology

Lehrbuch der gerichtlichen Psychopathologie mit Berücksichtigung der Gesetzgebung von Österreich, Deutschland und Frankreich (English: Textbook of Forensic Psychopathology: Considering the Legislation of Austria, Germany, and France) is a book written by Richard von Krafft-Ebing in 1875 with subsequent revisions in 1881 and 1892.

The book examines the intersection of mental illness and criminal behavior and thereby provides a framework for understanding and assessing the psychological conditions of offenders within a legal context.

The dicipline emerged in Europe in response to reforms in criminal procedure and research on suggestion both of which raised concerns about the reliability of witness testimony.

For instance, in 1872 before becoming a professor of psychiatry at the University of Graz he published Grundzüge der Kriminalpsychologie ("Fundamentals of Criminal Psychology").

[5] In Part A of book 1 the author starts by clarifying some principles and addressing issues like free will, criminal responsibility and the importance of medical certification of mental illness.

[5] In Part B of Book 1 the author looks at specific clinical issues and discusses how various mental disorders intersect with criminal law and how psychiatric assessments can inform legal decisions in court.

The section looks at various mental conditions that can affect a person's legal capacity such as their ability to manage their affairs, enter into contracts, or make decisions about their property.

[8] Over time, this field has expanded with advancements in psychological assessment techniques, neuropsychology, and a deeper understanding of mental disorders.

That belongs to a later publication of his, namely Psychopathia Sexualis in which Richard von Krafft-Ebing proposed viewing homosexuality as a medical condition and thereby advocating for its decriminalization.