NCJ Number
59800
Date Published
1978
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF ALL 102 PERSONS PLEADING INSANITY IN WYOMING DURING A 2-YEAR PERIOD FOUND THAT 2 WERE DIAGNOSED INSANE AND 11 PSYCHOTIC BY THE STATE HOSPITAL WHILE 1 WAS FOUND INSANE BY THE COURT.
Abstract
DURING THE STUDY PERIOD, JULY 1, 1970 TO JUNE 30, 1972, INSANITY PLEAS ACCOUNTED FOR 0.38 PERCENT OF ALL FELONY INDICTMENTS. A SURPRISING NUMBER, 31 OR 30.30 PERCENT, WERE NONRESIDENTS OF THE STATE. THE RESIDENTS REPRESENTED 18 OF THE STATE'S 23 COUNTIES WITH 3 COUNTIES (NATRONA, LARAMIE, AND CARBON) CONTRIBUTING 52 PERCENT OF CASES. INSANITY PLEAS WERE LESS COMMON IN AREAS WITH HIGH ARREST RATES, INDICATING THAT BUSY PROSECUTORS DO NOT ENCOURAGE SUCH PLEAS. THE SUBJECTS SHOWED MORE SYMPTOMS OF INSTABILITY THAN IS FOUND IN THE STATE AS A WHOLE. SIGNIFICANTLY FEWER WERE MARRIED (42.16 PERCENT COMPARED TO 66.7 PERCENT FOR THE STATE) WHILE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE WERE DIVORCED (23.53 PERCENT COMPARED TO 3.9 PERCENT). MEAN EDUCATIONAL LEVEL WAS LOWER (10.11 YEARS COMPARED TO 12.2 YEARS), AND EMPLOYMENT RECORDS WERE MARGINAL. MORE THAN HALF (61.77 PERCENT) HAD PREVIOUS ARRESTS AND 44.12 PERCENT HAD PRIOR CONVICTIONS. INSANITY PLEAS WERE MOST COMMON IN CASES OF HOMICIDE, ARSON, CHECK OFFENSES, AND RAPE; THEY WERE SELDOM USED FOR FRAUD, LARCENY, BURGLARY, FAMILY AND CHILD OFFENSES, AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. THE INSANITY PLEA DOES SEEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THE COURT PERCEIVES THE DEFENDANT. THOSE JUDGED PSYCHOTIC HAD THEIR CASES DISMISSED. OF THE 74 WHO WENT TO TRIAL, 73 WERE FOUND GUILTY AND 14 HAD SENTENCES SUSPENDED. TABLES SUMMARIZE STUDY DATA AND REFERENCES ARE APPENDED.