Reflections on Current Proposals to Abolish or Reform the Insanity Defense

Abstract

AbstractIn addition to provoking public and scholarly debate, the recent acquittal of John W. Hinckley, Jr. has prompted the Ninety-Seventh Congress to consider various bills that would abolish or reform the federal insanity defense. The following is an unedited version of Professor Arenella’s testimony concerning these bills given before the House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Criminal Justice on August 12, 1982.