Vivana1

VivianaRios
Ramirez
English
19March2016
InsanityPlea
Whetherornotpsychologistsshouldtestifyonbehalfofthosewhopleadinsanityisatopic
thatconcernsmany.Theinsanitypleaisoneofthehardesttodefend.Theinsanitypleaalso
knownasthementaldisorderdefenseexcusescriminaltrialsarguingthatthedefendantcannot
beresponsiblefortheiractionsdietopsychiatricillnesses.Whyarepsychologistsnotmore
involvedwiththisplea?Theinsanitypleaiscontroversialinthecourt.Insanityisdecidedbythe
courtnotaprofessional.Howcanthecourtsystemreallyknowthatsomeonehasactualmental
healthissues?Mentalhealthisnotcoveredenoughinthecourtsystem.Psychologistsspecialize
willillpeopleandshouldtestifyonbehalfofthosewhopleadinsanity.
Theinsanitypleaisverycontroversialwithinthecourtsystem.Itissocontroversialbecause
itisdifficulttodefineinsanity.Howoftenisthepleaused?Theinsanitydefenseisrarelyused,
thepleaisusedinlessthan1%ofallcourtcases.Whyisissohardtodetermineinsanity?There
isnocommonwaytodetermineinsanity.AsourceentitledPleadingInsanityDefensestates
Maycriminalactsseeminglyresultfromdistortedmentalprocesses.Thecriminaljustice
systemcontinuestostruggleforamethodtodistinguishoffenderswhosementalillnessisso
severethatsocietyshoulddeemthemnotmorallyresponsiblefortheirbehavior(Criminal
law).Whatarethecontradictingfactors?Everythingaboutthepleaiscontroversial.Thereisno

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systemthatworkssolelytodeterminewhethersomeoneisinsaneandeverypersonisdifferent.
Thereisnorightorcommonwaytoprovetrueinsanity.
Thepleaforinsanityisdecidedbythecourtnotbyatherapist.Thefinaldecisionthat
determinesifapersoncannotbedeemedresponsiblefortheiractionsisnotdecidedbya
professional.Whydoesapsychologistnothaveavoiceinthematter?Psychologistworkwith
peoplewithdisabilitiesandmentalillnessalmosteverydayoftheirlivessowhyaretheynot
involvedinmakingthedecision?Whydoesthecourthavethatkindofauthoritybutnotthe
therapists?Anarticlestated...psychiatristscouldnotreliablypredictthataparticularoffender
wouldcommitothercrimesinthefutureandbeathreattosociety.Theyfurtherarguedthat
psychiatristsshouldnotbeallowedtotestifyaboutanoffendersfuturedangerousnessin
responsetohypotheticalsituationspresentedbytheprosecutorandwithouthavingfirst
examinedtheoffender(Evans).Thisarticlecanhowevereasilybequestioned,lifeisfullofthe
unknownnothingcaneverbedecidedwithoutsomequestioningoftheunknown.Ifaperson
whostudiesmentalillnessandcommonbehaviorsinhumansdoesnothavetheauthorityandcan
notbetrustedtomakepredictionsthenwhyisthecourtwhomayhavenobackground
knowledgeofthesesituationshavethatkindofauthority?Notgivingtherapiststheauthorityto
atleastassistinthesedecisionissimilartoquestioningtheirabilitytodotheirjobs.Atherapist
shouldnotonlybeallowedtotestifybutshouldberequiredtodoso.
Howcanyoubesuresomeoneisinsane?Thereisnotestorchecklistthatprovesinsanity.It
isnotablackorwhitesubject.Sohowdotheyreallyknow?Whatcategorizesapersonas
insane?Isitaphysicalfeature,anaturalreaction,isitthewaysomeonespeaks?Whatisit?

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Therereallyisnowaytotrulytell.Howdotheconsequenceschangeifapersonisconsidered
insane?
Insteadofimprisonmentthesepeoplearesenttofacilitiestogetcounseling.Counselingthatthey
wouldobviouslyneediftheytrulyhadamentalillness.Ifthereisnotestprovinginsanitythen
whyarethechargesdifferent?Whatchanges?
Canteveryonebeconsideredinsaneforcommittingcrimes?Nonormalsanepersonwould
commitmurder.Sowhatistheexcuseforthosepeople?Aretheygoingtoletallthosepeople
freefromimprisonmentaswell?Howcantheybesurethateveryoneisntmentallyill.Thereis
nowaytoknowwhichiswhyatherapistshouldbetheretotestifyonbehalfoftheirclients.The
sentencingforthementallyillisdifferentsowhyisntthetrialdifferenttoo?Therapistshave
degreesinthisfieldandshouldhavetherighttotestifyonbehalfoftheirclients.Theyshouldbe
abletoknowissomeoneismentallyill.Judgesandjuriesarenomorequalifiedthananyother
person.
Inconclusion,itwouldbewrongnottohaveaprofessionalpsychologisttestifyonbehalfof
theinsanityplea.Ifthisproblemcontinuesthosewhoaretrulymentallyillmaynotreceivethe
helptheyneed.Thepleaiscontroversialandcausemanydebates.Insanityisdecidedbythe
courtratherthanatherapistwhichcausesconflicts.Thereisnosimpletesttoprovesomeonehas
amentalillness.Thesepsychologistsaretrainedandhavebetterknowledgeofthesituationthan
ajuryorjudgewould.Psychologistsshouldberequiredtotestifyonbehalfofthosewhoplead
insanity.Mentalhealthneedsagreatdealofattention.Itsthefinaltabooanditneedstobe
facedanddealtwith.AdamAnt