Insanity Defense

Insanity Defense

In a criminal trial, this is a legal defense in which the defendant claims that due to a severe mental illness at the time of the crime, they were unable to recognize the nature or wrongfulness of their actions. Although frequently portrayed in the media, it is actually used and accepted very rarely in practice.

Historical Standards

M'Naghten Rule

The oldest and most widely used standard, requiring the defendant to prove that at the time of the crime, due to mental illness, they did not know the nature of their act, or did not know that what they were doing was wrong.

Irresistible Impulse Standard

A standard in which the defendant argues that although they knew the act was wrong, they were unable to control their impulse due to mental illness.

ALI Standard (American Law Institute)

A standard requiring proof that due to mental illness, the defendant lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of their conduct or to conform their behavior to the law.

After a Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity Verdict

Being found not guilty does not mean the person is simply set free. In most cases, the individual is committed to a psychiatric facility for treatment, and this period may actually be longer than a prison sentence would have been.

Misconceptions and Reality

Mindy wants to clear up a few misconceptions about the insanity defense.

This defense is an institutional mechanism designed to legally acknowledge the impact of mental illness on behavior while simultaneously protecting public safety.