Kaufman and Bok discuss those contributions which could be made by the psychiatrist to help jurists transform the courts from a merely punitive instrument to one of correctional discipline that will not ignore mental illness where it exists. They consider the working relationship of the psychiatrist and the court, the functions of the psychiatrist, his limitations, his practical aid to the court and the future outlook for psychiatric examination of convicted criminals. Illustrative cases from the criminal court in Philadelphia show how psychiatric evaluation can prevent miscarriages of justice without imperiling the safety of society.