Society & Mental Health Profession
Measuring legal competence
Insanity defense
M'Naghten test
not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) if lacked ability to distinguish right from wrong (ground still focus in US)
Irresistible impulse
unable to control actions due to mental illness
Product test (Durham)
not responsible if act is product of mental illness (circular effect and too flexible)
American Law Institute (ALI)
M'Naghten rule OR irresistible impulse
most courts (& federal) use M'Naghten test
Guilty but mentally ill (GBMI)
criminally responsible but need Tx
guilty but mentally ill at time of act
Sexual offender
before: mentally disordered
now: sexually violent predator laws
prison and treatment after
sexual offender registries