This work is a completely revised and largely rewritten version of Professor Jones' classic History of the Mental Health Services. This new History takes full account of modern historical critiques of the subject, including the revisionism of Goffman, Foucault and Szasz, medical and legal analyses, and revaluation by a variety of scholars in the light of such late twentieth century perspectives as neo-Marxism, Thatcherism, feminism, normalization and empowerment.

The Mental Health Services have altered beyond recognition in recent years. Many mental hospitals have literally bitten the dust - reduced to piles of rubble as their sites have been sold off for housing estates or leisure centres. Is this cost-efficient development, or asset-stripping? Does community care work? And what has happened to the patients?

For its history both of events and of ideas, this book is likely to become the standard account of the subject, and is highly suitable for course adoption.