L P . the forensic psychiatrist can offer valuable expert services for the welfare of the society at large, safeguard his own interests as well as that of the patients. Historical perspective Review of literature : Since current Indian legal system is based on the British legal system, I have reviewed the literature pertaining to forensic psychiatry from UK and also from other European countries. There has been a very vivid systematic documentation about the historical developments in these countries. Davis Forshaw and Henry Rollin while writing the history of forensic psychiatry in England have given in details, the description of English law, punishment and penal system, the legal profession and the medical profession, the development of psychiatry in the 19th and 20th century, the insane and the English legislation, court procedures and detentions, criminal responsibility, the development of specific facilities for the criminally insane, the study of forensic patients, transfer of prisoners between prison and lunatic asylums, diminished responsibility and modern attitudes to forensic psychiatry. The role of law in the development of modern psychiatry was extensive, particularly after the 18th century and reflected both a growing public awareness of problems raised by mental disorder and community's need to express and enforce measures to manage the problems. Religion and utilitarian philosophies were influential in English public life during the 19th century and coloured the contemporaneous calls for the reforms of asylums, prisons and the legal system. Thus the English act of 1774 was replaced by the Country Asylum Act, 1808 which in turn was replaced by the English Lunacy Regulation Act, 1853 and the English Lunatic Act of 1853. These were further amended by the Lunacy Act of 1891. This was repealed by the Mental Health Act in 1959 in order to make fresh provisions for treatment and care of mentally disordered, provision for informal admission of mentally ill. to any hospital or nursing home without- application or order for detention were made. Now the primary concern was the welfare and treatment of the individual patient which was left to the doctors, social workers and hospital managers. This act was further amended in 1983. As far as the European countries are concerned, the literature claims about the relationship between law and psychiatry even in Greece and Rome 2000 years ago in the limited way. In the middle ages however, the social and legal status of the insane person was still largely determined by non­ medical attitudes under the moralistic influence of the church. In the legal provisions for the insane, we find more concern for public order than for the care of such people. By the 14th century the legal status of the insane person was well defined, two issues central to the forensic psychiatry of today were already being discussed: the responsibility of the mentally ill person and the way he should be dealt with within the community. From the Renaissance to the 17th century Europe continued the legal traditions inherited from Rome. De Praestigis Demonum by the German physician Johannes Weyer (1515-1588) which appeared in Latin in 1563 and later translated in French and German was published throughout Europe. It can be considered the first medical treaties to deal with mental disorders in connection with the law. In the 17th century a very elaborate medicolegal perception of the individual has been achieved. It was the judge who decided whether the individual was insane and it was his (individual's) relatives who asked that he be placed in the custody. The great currents of reform pervaded the legal system at the end of the 18th century. The interest was no longer on crime but on the criminal and his motives. In 1808, the term 'Psychiatrie' appeared for the first time. Among the achievements at that time 1) first was separation of mentally disordered from other prisoners and 2) was the creation of asylums and reorganization of the existing institutions. By early 20th century the use of psychiatric experts and the general influence of psychiatry in the criminal justice system was enhanced. After 1945 attempt was made to treat 180