This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Steury, E. H. Articles by Rotter, F. J. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Raising The Insanity Defense: A Comparison Of Rates In Jurisdictions With Differing Insanity Commitment Release Laws

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Francis J. Rotter

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The use of the insanity plea for felony offenses in 18 counties in various parts of the United States is the focus of the study reported here. Two research hypotheses were tested: one predicted that use of the insanity defense would be less frequent in jurisdictions with indeterminate commitments after a successful insanity defense; a second predicted that the insanity defense would be used least frequently for relatively minor offenses in jurisdictions with indeterminate commitments after acquittal for insanity. Neither hypothesis is supported by these findings. The authors conclude that factors other than the laws governing release after a successful insanity plea affect the rate of use. This research shows that variation across study counties was great, and that reporting of statewide rates masks these large differences. Further, this study shows distinct regional variation in the use of the insanity plea, which is associated with degree of urbanization.

Criminal Justice Policy Review, Vol. 5, No. 4, 307-321 (1991)
DOI: 10.1177/088740349100500403


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?