NCJ Number
102069
Journal
Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science Volume: 477 Dated: (January 1985) Pages: complete issue
Editor(s)
R D Lambert
Date Published
1985
Length
190 pages
Annotation
Twelve articles review the history of the insanity defense, argue for and against the abolition of the insanity defense, and propose modifications in the test and administration of the insanity defense.
Abstract
Following an overview of the theme of responsibility and crime in literature, three articles review the history of the insanity defense, including the insanity defense before 1800, the modern foundation for the insanity defense, and the insanity defense in England and Wales since 1843. One article summarizes in England and Wales since 1843. One article summarizes research findings on the use of the insanity defense and the characteristics of insanity defense acquitees. Another article examines the content and reasons for Idaho's 1982 law abolishing the insanity defense. One article describes how psychiatric evaluations of criminal defendants can be enhanced by improving evaluative settings, evaluator qualifications, and the resources devoted to evaluations. Other articles identify the types of mental illness that qualify for an insanity defense, discuss the disability-of-mind doctrine, critique a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision involving an insanity acquittal, examine the merits of abolishing the insanity defense, and argue for retaining a modified insanity defense while reforming its administration. For individual articles, see NCJ 102070-75.