In: Psychology
Is the Insanity Defense necessary? Discuss what form it should take and the role of the forensic psychiatrist in establishing whether an accused person can successfully use it.
Answer- The term intensity defense is used to argue that the accused is not responsible for his/her crime due to a certain mental condition or sickness. The insanity defense is necessary to find out whether a person is aware of what he/she has done. The insanity defense helps us to find out that a person who committed a crime unknowingly due to his uncontrollable mental conditions. While discussing a case in the court room, the lawyer should include both cognitive prong and volitional prong to make sure that insanity defense exculpates both those who do not understand that their action was wrong as well as for mentally disable person.
Forensic psychiatrist plays an important role in assessing criminal's personality and determine with the help of many tests that the accused claim insanity as his defense or not. Forensic psychiatrist finds out with the help of various testimony whether a person can successfully use insanity defense or not. The people who are guilty but mentally unstable, are likely to spend time in a mental institution rather than a jail.