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Insanity Defense

Definition

The insanity defense is a legal concept, not a psychological one. It refers to a defendant's claim that they were so mentally disturbed at the time of their criminal act that they should not be held accountable for it.

Analogy

Think of the insanity defense like an emergency brake in a car. Just as you would only use the emergency brake in extreme situations when normal brakes fail, the insanity defense is only used in extreme cases where the defendant was unable to understand or control their actions due to severe mental illness.

Related terms

Competency to Stand Trial: This refers to a defendant's ability to understand and participate in court proceedings. If someone is deemed incompetent, they cannot be tried or convicted.

M'Naghten Rule: This rule states that a defendant may be considered legally insane if, at the time of committing the crime, he/she was so deranged that he/she did not know what he/she was doing or did not know it was wrong.

Guilty but Mentally Ill (GBMI): A verdict stating that defendants are guilty and do require punishment but also have serious mental illnesses requiring treatment.