The Insanity Defense: A Critical Assessment of Law and Policy in the Post-Hinckley Era

(Hardback)

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No area of criminal law has been the subject of more controversy than the insanity defense. The Insanity Defense is a clear assessment of this issue as it exists in the 1980s. It provides the reader with a basis for understanding and evaluating the legislative and judicial responses to the factors that have stirred this controversy. Because extremely complex issues are involved in the effort to formulate an insanity defense, Simon and Aaronson begin with a detailed historical overview. They discuss the necessity of expert witnesses in the actual trial and probe into the jury's role and responsibility. The authors describe the various movements that have been used to abolish the insanity defense, as well as assess the use and interpretation of the defense in other nations.

Reviews

The Insanity Defense on Trial should prove to be a valuable tool for policymakers, a practical and useful work for criminal justice practitioners, students, and anyone who seeks to better understand the debate on controversial isuues concerning the defense and important changes that hane taken place on federal and state levels. What is particaularly useful is that the authors provide a readable yet comprehensive overview of central issues and skillfully marshall and analyze relevant data and proposals from the legal, mental health, and social science communities. A variety of perspectives are used to provide a better understanding of the issues, ranging from a historial approach, providing original empirical data from a national survey they conducted of mental health and legal experts, a comparative approach that examines the insanity defense in other countries, and even an inviting discussion as to how the defense has beeen treated in literature and the theater.-Judge Barrington D. Parker United States District Court for the District of Columbia
"The Insanity Defense on Trial should prove to be a valuable tool for policymakers, a practical and useful work for criminal justice practitioners, students, and anyone who seeks to better understand the debate on controversial isuues concerning the defense and important changes that hane taken place on federal and state levels. What is particaularly useful is that the authors provide a readable yet comprehensive overview of central issues and skillfully marshall and analyze relevant data and proposals from the legal, mental health, and social science communities. A variety of perspectives are used to provide a better understanding of the issues, ranging from a historial approach, providing original empirical data from a national survey they conducted of mental health and legal experts, a comparative approach that examines the insanity defense in other countries, and even an inviting discussion as to how the defense has beeen treated in literature and the theater."-Judge Barrington D. Parker United States District Court for the District of Columbia

Author Bio

RITA J. SIMON is Dean of the School of Justice at American University and editor of Justice Quarterly. DAVID E. AARONSON is a Professor of Law at Washington College of Law at American University.