The Insanity Defense - Chapter 10

Which definition of insanity includes both a cognitive prong and a volitional prong?

The ALI standard.

In 1984, the Insanity Defense Reform Act instituted all of the following rules for insanity defense, EXCEPT:

The Durham test of insanity became standard for all federal cases.

When legal scholars, legislators, and judges labor over figuring out the precise wording to define insanity, they often overlook a key question. According to the text, the question is:

Does the definition of insanity impact the juries' verdict decisions?

All of the following statements are true about the insanity defense, EXCEPT:

Mental health professionals make legal decisions about whether the defendant is insane.

Insanity refers to the defendant's state of mind:

at the time the crime was committed.

In the states that allow the use of insanity defense, the burden of proof is placed on the _____, and in most of these states, by a _____ standard. In the federal system and Arizona, a more demanding standard of proof by clear and convincing evidence is required.

defense; beyond a reasonable doubt

Mr. Bentley has been diagnosed with intellectual disability. For Mr. Bentley to be found not guilty by reason of insanity under the M'Naghten rule, the best strategy for his defense team is to argue that Mr. Bentley:

does not understand right from wrong.

The subject of ultimate issue testimony is controversial. Although experts are _____ to say words "sane" or "insane," any meaningful expert testimony would _____.

forbidden; reveal the expert's opinion on the issue of insanity

Montana, Utah, Kansas, and Idaho are the only states that:

have entirely abolished the insanity defense.

Contrary to what most people believe, the insanity defense is _____ raised and is usually _____.

infrequently; unsuccessful

Andrea Yates's first trial demonstrates that severely mentally ill people _____ meet the legal definition of insanity.

may not

In legal terminology, the awareness, or "guilty mind," that must accompany the wrongful behavior is known as:

mens rea.

Defendants who received a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity instead of a guilty verdict, spend _____ time locked up in a psychiatric hospital rather than in prison, but this information _____ jurors.

slightly more; is not provided to

In the context of insanity defense, malingering refers to:

the exaggeration or faking of a mental disorder.

What happens to defendants who are found guilty but mentally ill (GBMI)? The answer is all of the following, EXCEPT:

they are released.