Why the insanity defense act is rarely used

By Shaniyah Goodman
imagine that you are out eating with your family and out of
nowhere a door burst open some of your family was hurt or
even killed, how would you feel if you seen the same person
walking down the street a free man ?
What is the insanity defense ?
● The insanity defense is a defense used as an excuse in a criminal case, that the defendant is
not responsible for their actions due to a mental disorder at the time of the crime.

● jurors act on what they think of as morally “right” or “wrong”

Thesis And key points
The insanity defense is rarely used because because it is hard to discern whether or not
someone is clinically insane, and because some states do not have an exact stance on this
defense.

● it is impractical in the court of law

● It is hard to discern whether or not someone is clinically insane

● The insanity defense is rarely used is because of differing laws in states.

Main Reasons
● Used as an excuse in a criminal case, arguing that the defendant is not
responsible for their actions due to an mental disorder
Main reasons
● Concerns have been raised that the insanity defense has been used to
mitigate punishment
Main Reasons
Statistics for the victims of the worst mass shootings in Western democratic
countries from 1966 to 2012
 What can we do to make a change ?
● Stop making people think its an alternative of a punishment
● Today, the "not guilty by reason of insanity" plea exists to distinguish between those who break
the law because of mental illness and those who do so with sound judgment.
 something i learned :
I learned that some of the officials in the courtroom will do what they have to do to win a
case or even make their case sound better in the press.I’ve also learned most have a
negative opinion when it comes to some of these cases after many families have walked
away with something gone that they’ll never get back.Many also feel that justice will be
served for the defendant's mental illness. In most cases that have been on trial have found
the defendant not guilty by reason of insanity.
Final Thought
● Think about your children’s safety in public schools and even a general
public area, think about the affects on them.
Evidence / support sources
● https://www.statista.com/statistics/248845/number-of-victims-of-mass-shootings-in-western
-democratic-countries/
● https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00172/full
● https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160252707001094
● https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/28/486607183/after-hinckley-states-tig
htened-use-of-the-insanity-plea
● https://psmag.com/news/insanity-legal-system
● https://www.local10.com/news/2019/11/18/alleged-school-shooter-nikolas-cruz-files-motion-
to-dismiss-judge-from-case/
TIME CHECK

https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=W9kVd-OKMzs