NCJ Number
57696
Journal
American Journal of Psychiatry Volume: 136 Issue: 5 Dated: (MAY 1979) Pages: 655-660
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
OWING TO THE LIMITED DATA AVAILABLE, A STUDY OF ALL ACQUITTALS IN NEW YORK STATE FROM 1971 TO 1976 WAS UTILIZED IN ORDER TO DEVELOP AN EMPIRICAL PROFILE OF PERSONS ACQUITTED BY REASON OF INSANITY.
Abstract
METHODS USED IN THIS STUDY INVOLVE SEARCHING PATIENT FILES TO IDENTIFY ALL PERSONS FOUND NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY DURING THE STUDY PERIOD. FILES WERE THEN ABSTRACTED TO SECURE THE BASIC DATA REQUIRED FOR THE SUBJECTS. ADULT INMATES ADMITTED TO THE STATE'S CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES WERE USED AS THE COMPARISON GROUP. RESULTS OF THE STUDY ESTABLISH THE FOLLOWING: (1) 196 MEN AND 20 WOMEN WERE FOUND NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY DURING THE PERIOD; (2) IN CONTRAST TO ADULTS ADMITTED TO STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, THE STUDY GROUP CONTAINED PROPORTIONATELY MORE PERSONS WHO WERE WHITE AND OLDER; (3) A MAJORITY OF THE MALE SUBJECTS HAD HAD NO PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS IN A NEW YORK FACILITY; (4) A MAJORITY OF THE STUDY SUBJECTS HAD NO PRIOR ARREST RECORD; (5) THE MOST FREQUENT CRIMES WERE HOMICIDE,ASSULT, AND ROBBERY; (6) MOST VICTIMS WERE ACQUAINTANCES OF THE DEFENDANTS; AND (7) A VARIABLE RATE OF SUCCESSFUL PLEAS AMONG NEW YORK COUNTIES SUGGESTS THE POSSIBILTY THAT LEGAL STATUTES CONCERNING SUCH PLEAS ARE NOT APPLIED UNIFORMLY. IN ADDITION, BY 1976, 67 PERSONS HAD BEEN DISCHARGED AFTER HOSPITALIZATION RANGING FROM 1 TO 1,235 DAYS. A FOLLOWUP OF DEFENDANT CONTINUES AFTER THEIR RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY. FOOTNOTES, REFERENCE NOTES, AND TABLES ACCOMPANY THE TEXT. (WJR)