The insanity defense was established so people who commit crimes due to severe mental illness are not responsible for their crimes. Throughout the years the insanity defense has evolved along with the court system but are the mentally ill being treated fairly in the court of law? Changes in the insanity defense laws and the abolishment of the defense is some states have made proving not guilty by reason of insanity nearly impossible. The tougher laws on the insanity defense have put people who should be in psychiatric institutions in prison where their illness are only intensifying and getting worse. Regulating the insanity defense into a standard shared by all states would allow the mentally ill to defend themselves fairly in court and prevent others from taking advantage of the system.
To understand the insanity defense one must first understand the different types of mental illnesses and how they affect the way people act. According to The American Heritage Medical......

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Title: Defending Insanity: An In-Depth Look At The Insanity Defense
Approximate Word Count: 2113
Approximate Pages: 9 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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