The Insanity Plea: The Uses and Abuses of the Insanity Defense

1984 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 1136
Author(s):  
William J. Winslade ◽  
Judith Wilson Ross
Keyword(s):  
Insanity Defense ◽  
Insanity Plea

A Review of Research on the Insanity Defense

1986 ◽  
Vol 484 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
RICHARD A. PASEWARK
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Insanity Defense ◽  
Insanity Plea ◽  
Criminal Histories

Since the attempted assassination of President Reagan by John Hinckley, Jr., avid attention has again focused upon the supposed deficiencies and abuses of the insanity plea, and the nation has witnessed many attempts in various jurisdictions either to alter or to abolish the plea. Unfortunately, these efforts have been conducted within a context where little empirical data on the operation of the plea is available to guide policymakers. The present article represents an effort to summarize the information that is currently available concerning the frequency with which the plea is made, the characteristics of defendants involved, and the subsequent psychiatric and criminal histories of these individuals.

The Irony of the Insanity Defense: A Theory of Relativity

1982 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-308
Author(s):  
Kathleen Jones Bulmash
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Insanity Defense ◽  
Social Conditions ◽  
Social Phenomenon ◽  
Theory Of Relativity ◽  
Insanity Plea ◽  
Political Controversy ◽  
The Law

The insanity plea has been the object of intense political controversy. This article explores the conflicting models of human behavior which underlie changing definitions of insanity in the law. The argument is that the psychoanalytic model defines rationality as an irreducibly social phenomenon. Consequently, an individual's capacity for rationality is dependent upon the adequacy of social conditions conducive to its development. But this model of rationality remains incompatible with a theory of responsibility which can only assign guilt to individuals.

Characteristics of Persons Utilizing the Insanity Plea

1983 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Hawkins ◽  
Richard A. Pasewark
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Hospitalization ◽  
Insanity Defense ◽  
Insanity Plea ◽  
Criminal Defendant ◽  
Prior Arrest

Analysis of studies reporting upon defendants using the insanity defense suggests such defendants to be generally: male, of Caucasian ethnicity, older than the typical criminal defendant, single, unskilled vocationally, having previous psychiatric hospitalization, and having a prior arrest history.

Successful Insanity Defense Means Everyone Will Escape Responsibility

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Henle ◽  
Lindsay Doran ◽  
Uduakobong N. Ikpe ◽  
Jaime Lurie
Keyword(s):  
Insanity Defense
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