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Analysis Of The Insanity Plea

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Analysis Of The Insanity Plea
A large portion of society opposes the insanity plea because they believe that criminals falsely enter the plea to be acquitted of a crime. According to the court, there is doubt in the defense and their ability to properly diagnose an offender. Psychiatrists may have disparate diagnoses and this takes away from the legal value of not guilty by reason of insanity (Doherty). In past cases, the jury is not quick to acquit a criminal, due to insanity, because of the small chance that the offender may be falsely claiming insanity to avoid a longer jail sentence (Vatz “Insanity”). This is not a valid argument because the insanity plea is used only 1% of the time and even then, it is not always accepted (Doherty). The plea seems relatively apparent
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