The article investigates an insanity defense, it provides a closer look at its history and details. An insanity defense is defined as a “plea that defendants are not guilty because they lacked the mental capacity” and cannot be responsible for their actions, or they cannot control their behavior (Martin, 1998, para. 5). Made the law in the 1840s, this plea refers to various crimes and is not used only in murder cases. This standard checks the morality of a system and allows judiciaries to decide that some criminal defendants cannot be sentenced for their malefactions as they do not understand their actions. Supported by the majority of the United States, an insanity defense is ultimately unsuccessful as a highly insignificant number of defendants were acquitted due to insanity (Martin, 1998). Although most acquitted defendants suffer from severe mental diseases, for instance, schizophrenia, there are multiple cases when offenders try to fake insanity to avoid a prison sentence.
However, those defendants who escape imprisonment due to legally approved insanity are typically committed to medical treatment centers where they stay until their mental health is officially determined as satisfying. For instance, John Hinckley, who had shot President Ronald Reagan in front of television cameras, was acquitted due to insanity and later sent to a health care institution (Martin, 1998). The standards of an insanity defense are currently toughened; prosecutors were formerly responsible for proving the insanity of their clients, however, defense attorneys should currently conduct these activities. The average terms of treatment for defendants who have pleaded their insanity are doubled to reduce the number of fake insanity pleas attempts.
Reference
Martin, J. P. (1998). The insanity defense: A closer look. Washington Post. Web.