Dr.Henson has been asked to assess John,who has been accused of killing most of his family and several former girlfriends.His lawyer would like to enter a plea that John is not guilty by reason of insanity.Though insanity is a legal term rather than a psychological one,Dr.Henson knows that it means that the defendant

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

"Insanity" in a legal context refers to a defendant who was so impaired at the time of the crime that they were unable to understand the nature of their actions or that their actions were wrong. Therefore, choice B is the best answer. Hallucinations (choice A) may be a symptom of certain psychiatric disorders that could contribute to a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, but they alone do not qualify a defendant as legally insane. Choice C (traumatized by his actions) may be a factor in the defendant's current psychological state, but it is not relevant to the legal definition of insanity. Choice D (lack of conscience) does not reflect the legal definition of insanity, as the ability to distinguish right from wrong at the time of the crime is the key criterion.

DrHenson Has Been Asked to Assess John,who Has Been Accused