Mentally disordered offenders and the law: Research update on the insanity defense, 2004–2019

Samuel Adjorlolo; Heng Choon (Oliver) Chan; Matt DeLisi

doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2019.101507

Author(s)

Related Research Unit(s)

Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences

Detail(s)

Original language	English
Article number	101507
Journal / Publication	International Journal of Law and Psychiatry
Volume	67
Online published	21 Oct 2019
Publication status	Published - Nov 2019

Link(s)

DOI	DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2019.101507 Final Published version
	Check@CityULib
Link to Scopus	https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85073505020&origin=recordpage
Permanent Link	https://scholars.cityu.edu.hk/en/publications/publication(1f5459fa-1189-4c04-a164-105871da702e).html

Abstract

The insanity defense is among the most controversial legal constructs that has attracted the attention of scholars, practitioners and policy makers. Here, we conducted a systematic review of the literature spanning 2004 to 2019 that produced 58 studies of insanity defense research. Findings are organized according to: (1) assessments and assessment-related issues, (2) juror decision-making in defense trials, (3) characteristics of insanity acquittees, (4) release recommendations for insanity acquittees, (5) revocation of conditional release status of insanity acquittees, and (6) additional areas of insanity defense research. Implications of the research for the insanity defense and cognate legal issues are proffered.