Insanity Defense Reform Act
Encyclopedia
The Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1984 was a law passed in the wake of public outrage after John Hinckley, Jr.
's acquittal for the Reagan assassination attempt
. It amended the United States federal laws governing defendants with mental diseases or defects
to make it significantly more difficult to obtain a verdict of not guilty only by reason of insanity. It was criticized by psychologist Lawrence Z. Freedman for being ineffective: "If the attacker is rational mentally, stable emotionally, and fanatic politically, he will not be deterred. Nor will an irrational, affectively disturbed individual be deterred."
John Hinckley, Jr.
John Warnock Hinckley, Jr., attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C., on March 30, 1981, as the culmination of an effort to impress teen actress Jodie Foster. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and has remained under institutional psychiatric care since...
's acquittal for the Reagan assassination attempt
Reagan assassination attempt
The Reagan assassination attempt occurred on Monday, March 30, 1981, just 69 days into the presidency of Ronald Reagan. While leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr...
. It amended the United States federal laws governing defendants with mental diseases or defects
United States federal laws governing defendants with mental diseases or defects
United States federal laws governing offenders with mental diseases or defects provide for the evaluation and handling of defendants who are suspected of having mental diseases or defects...
to make it significantly more difficult to obtain a verdict of not guilty only by reason of insanity. It was criticized by psychologist Lawrence Z. Freedman for being ineffective: "If the attacker is rational mentally, stable emotionally, and fanatic politically, he will not be deterred. Nor will an irrational, affectively disturbed individual be deterred."
External links
- IDRA - Criminal Resource Manual
- IDRA - GovTrackGovTrackGovTrack.us is a website developed by then-student Joshua Tauberer who launched it as a hobby. It enables its users to track the bills and members of the United States Congress. Users can add trackers to certain bills. The website collects data on Congress members, allowing the users to check...