Culture, law and psychiatry in Hawaii

Abstract

Hawaii is a set of islands with a broad mix of cultures. The law is American, but it was predominantly derived from English Common Law. Thus, the law is derived from a very distant culture. Theoretically, this 'transplanted' law could cause difficulties for people from Pacific cultures. Indeed, it appears to create difficulties for individuals with mental illness. A substantial number of these people are arrested for disobedience of a law that is not sensible for their culture. This problem is an example of the need for cultural knowledge when a psychiatrist conducts an examination for the legal system. An individual may appear legally guilty or medically insane when acting within cultural norms.