Insanity Defense Research Paper

Bjorn Nilsson
Mr. Cruikshank
Criminal Minds Psychology
23 December 2015
Your Broken Mind and You When an individual is deemed that at the time of the crime he was unable to understand what it was that he was doing or that it was wrong then he is eligible for the insanity defense. The insanity defense is a defense used in the court of law to prove the individual who committed the crime was not able to control himself in the situation and as such should not be punished for the crime. There is a heated debate on the topic, with both sides arguing about whether or not people can be morally blamed for the actions they unknowingly took. In recent history there have been changes in the laws regarding the insanity defense because of some high
The insanity defense allows these people who do not commit crimes of their own volition get the help they need. They are better suited to receiving aid rather than simply being left in a cell where they have no chance of ever getting better. When the insanity defense is approved and the defendant is declared Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity they are then sent to a mental institution. In this mental institution the patient will not be released until they are deemed mentally well, this often is longer than the original sentence would have been. Another aspect of the insanity defense is the ability to better observe the characteristics and treatments for this illness. By learning more about the illnesses it can allow the medical professionals to develop strategies, drugs, and techniques which will allow them to take preventative measures. This will benefit those who also suffer from that illness but fortunately have not committed any crimes. The potential benefit of holding these individuals should outweigh any simple desire for vengeance or the desire to have someone to blame.
This is a common feature in media such as the television show Law and Order. One of the most influential cases for the public perception of the Insanity Defense was the Hinckley Trial. This case was so important to the media because it involved a man shooting President Reagan being acquitted on grounds of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. In the eye of the people the insanity defense was something criminals could use to get out of jail easily and not have to suffer the consequences of their own actions. This is a major misconception about the law itself as well as how it is used. The truth of the matter is that the insanity defense is used in less than one percent of all cases. Even when the it is used it only results in an acquittal around a quarter of the time. It is nowhere near the commonly used “get out of jail free card” that the media often portrays it as. Faking an illness is also nowhere as easy as many believe. Cases of malingering are detectable if the psychologist knows what to look for. Using a form of lie detection one can ask the individual about their symptoms and match their answers to their reported symptoms and actual cases of the illness. (Resnick and Knoll) The final misconception on the the insanity defense being too easy is the reality of confinement. When an individual is being admitted to a mental institution they will not be