What is the difference between insanity and mental illness? How might this distinction affect a forensic evaluation?
Insanity is a legal term with its modern roots in the M'Naghten ruling in 1843. This has been revised several times (Durham v. United States, 1954; The ALI Standard, 1962; Insanity Defense Reform Act, 1984).
Mental illness is a clinical term based upon diagnostic criteria usually set forth in the DSM-IV. An individual may be mentally ill but not legally insane. However, an individual cannot be insane without suffering from a mental disease or defect.
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Insanity is a legal term with its modern roots in the M'Naghten ruling in 1843. This has been revised several times (Durham v. United States, 1954; The ALI Standard, 1962; Insanity Defense Reform Act, 1984).
Mental illness is a clinical term based upon diagnostic criteria usually set forth in the DSM-IV. An individual may be mentally ill but not legally insane. However, an individual cannot be insane without suffering from a mental disease or defect.
BACK
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