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58 S. Cal. L. Rev. 777 (1985)
Excusing the Crazy: The Insanity Defense Reconsidered

handle is hein.journals/scal58 and id is 797 raw text is: EXCUSING THE CRAZY: THE INSANITY DEFENSE RECONSIDERED STEPHEN J. MORSE I. THE MORAL BASIS OF THE INSANITY DEFENSE... 780 A. IRRATIONALITY AND COMPULSION: THE CRITERIA FOR EXCUSE ......................................... 782 B. CRITICISM OF THE MORAL BASIS OF THE INSANITY D EFENSE ............................................. 788 II. INSUBSTANTIAL OBJECTIONS TO THE INSANITY DEFENSE ............................................... 795 A. THE INSANITY DEFENSE PRODUCES WRONG VERDICTS ............................................ 795 B. INSANITY DEFENDANTS BEAT THE RAP ............. 797 C. THE INSANITY DEFENSE DEFLECTS ATTENTION FROM THE NEEDS OF DISORDERED JAIL AND PRISON INMATES ............................................. 797 D. THE INSANITY DEFENSE IS AN HISTORICAL ACCIDENT ........................................... 798 E. INSANITY IS A RICH PERSON'S DEFENSE .............. 798 F. THE INSANITY DEFENSE IS RAISED Too INFREQUENTLY TO BE WORTH THE TROUBLE ......... 799 G. PAST MENTAL STATES CANNOT BE DETERMINED .... 800 III. ALTERNATIVES TO ABOLISHING THE INSANITY DEFENSE ............................................... 801 A. THE ELEMENTS APPROACH ........................ 801 B. SENTENCING DISCRETION ............................ 803 C. GUILTY BUT MENTALLY ILL ......................... 803 D. THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF ABOLISHING THE INSANITY DEFENSE .................................. 804 IV. REFORMING THE INSANITY DEFENSE .............. 806 A. DEVELOPING A REASONABLE AND WORKABLE TEST FOR LEGAL INSANITY ................................ 806 1. The Definition of Mental Disorder ................. 807 2. The Cognitive Test ................................ 810