Use Of The Insanity Plea By Andrea Yates

During my true crime podcast era, I came across Andrea Yates. Yates was a mother who killed her five young children by drowning them in a bathtub. While listening to this case, it was revealed that the insanity plea, or also known as the insanity defense, was used. It got me thinking about how the plea works and how people would allow this outcome over a jail sentence. The insanity plea is a tough topic to tackle in the world of criminal law. Many wonder about its effectiveness and authority. The plea is well known in and outside the courtroom, yet it is rarely used. If a plea is put into action, it draws major attention to cases. An acceptable punishment should align with the offense. Innocent until proven guilty is a constitutional right

It is used because the alternative is a justification defense. An excuse defense is used to explain that someone should not be held responsible for their actions because of an impairment of some sort such as schizophrenia. A justification defense is when the act is still committed but is considered legal. These defenses shed light on the difficult decisions of determining someone's responsibility. On one side, someone committed a crime because they had no control over themselves, which is an excuse. The other, they did it for morally acceptable reasons, which is a justification. If an excuse case receives a punishment, mixed reactions are going to be seen throughout the public. An example of this is the case of Lindsay Clancy. She was a mother who killed her three children when her husband was out of the house. As a result of her crime, she tried to commit suicide, but was unsuccessful (Baker, 2023). Family and friends wanted Clancy to not be charged for this crime and to receive treatment for her depression and insanity instead of receiving jail time. However, those who didn’t know Clancy, believed that she should stay in jail and serve out a sentence. The plea was put in as a way to protect mentally ill people from the law, but at what point does it stop being protected and become a scapegoat? Using it as a crutch is not why it got set into action in the first

If there is a physical way to show that someone is insane, then it could change the outcome of those who use the insanity plea. Debates between philosophers, psychologists, and the general public have yet to agree on a definitive cause. Jin S. Lee (2021) is one of the many contributing authors in the Psychiatry, Psychology, and Law Volume 28 Issue 2 book. The specific chapter that he wrote is called “Borderline Personality Disorder in the Courtroom” which talks specifically about borderline personality disorder and its diagnostic criteria. He says, “The characteristic pattern of behaviors, cognition, and emotions may be influenced by factors often categorized into nature…and nurture” (Lee, 2021, pp. 206-217). Genetics, environment, and personal experiences play a role in shaping a person's mind. Depending on the person, it could be simpler to narrow down triggers. This can help prevent aggressive behavior and or provided room for intervention to help those struggling with insanity before it turns violent. Cases such as Steven Steinberg, who stabbed his wife 26 times that ended up killing her; John Wayne Gacy, who tortured, raped, and murdered at least 30 young boys; or John Hinkley Jr. who tried to kill Ronald Reagen. If a prevention was set into place, these cases and others would have never happened. These three killers have tried to use the insanity plea and were unsuccessful in doing