Reply 7-2 js | Psychology homework help
Insanity is a legal term used in criminal cases, the use of this word in this context has been defined by legislators and not by clinicians (Comer & Comer, 2021). This is important because these could be different definitions and court systems look at different symptoms and signals. For example, the text states that individuals may have a mental disorder and not qualify for the “legal definition of insanity”. The court systems use various numbers of tests to see if an individual is insane. The court system says that individuals much be unable to know right from wrong, that is during the crime that occurred or during the trial. This individual needs to be able to prove that during the time of the crime they were influenced by a severe mental disorder. If someone is declared unstable during the time of the trial the court system will call in a mental health professional and the individual may even have to spend time in a mental institution until seen fit for release (Comer & Comer, 2021).