PSYCHOLOGIC CONTEXTS- ‘Insanity’

Question 1

What is ‘Diminished responsibility’ ??

Answer 1

= if a case has diminished responsibility, the judge can reduce/lower the extremity of the sentence given
e.g. charged for murder > manslaughter

Question 2

What is the year of the Homicide Act ??

Answer 2

1957

Question 3

What does the Homicide Act 1957 state?

Answer 3

1. he shall not be convicted of murder if he was suffering from abnormality of the mind

Question 4

Example of diminished responsibility-
R v Byrne=

Answer 4

• Patrick Byrne murdered Ms. Brown
• he mutilated her body, due to having ‘irresistible impulses’ beyond his own control
• Defence plead under the Homicide Act provision
• His conviction changed Murder > Manslaughter
• ‘Abnormality of the mind’ accepted as state of mind

Question 5

Example of diminished responsibility-
R v Vinagre (1979)=

Answer 5

• murdered wife on believing she was having an affair
• pled diminished responsibility due to ‘Othello syndrome’- pathological jealousy
• court upheld the plea, with significant cause

Question 6

Coroners and Justice Act 2009=
(amendment of the Homicide Act 1957)

Answer 6

= He shall not be convicted of murder if he was suffering from an abnormality of mental functioning which:
- arose from medical condition
- provides explanation for killing
- substantially impaired from forming rational judgement/ exercising self-control

Question 7

What is rational choice theory?

Answer 7

preference= benefits - costs

Question 8

Example deemed voluntary-
R v Tandy (1989)=

Answer 8

= case of addiction
- killed her 11 year old daughter- strangulation
- she had alcohol dependency issues, was under influence at time of event
- she was convicted
- diminished responsibility= unsuccessful
- appellant demonstrated that she had exercised control over her drinking

Question 9

Example deemed involuntary-
R v Wood=

Answer 9

= case of addiction
- killed a man performing an unwanted sex act
- defendant had alcohol dependency issues,- NOT under the influence at time
- still convicted
- BUT DR appeal= successful !!

Question 10

What is Mens rea?

Answer 10

= a. guilty mind

Question 11

Who shot King George III on ‘orders from God’ in 1800??

Answer 11

= James Hadfield

Question 12

What was the outcome of James Hadfield’s treason trial?

Answer 12

= Hadfield deemed NOT guilty by reasons of insanity- due to head injury on battlefield

Question 13

M’Naughten rule (1843)=

Answer 13

= A person is not responsible for criminal conduct if the defendant suffered from a medical disease/defect that

Question 14

What is NGRI ??

Answer 14

Not Guilty by Reasons of Insanity

Question 15

How successful is NGRI? (%)

Answer 15

25% of the time successful

Question 16

What % of people thought Schizophrenia diagnoses increase risk of violence??

Answer 16

60%

Question 17

What is the prevalence of mental health conditions in mass murders, according to Taylor (2016) ??

Answer 17

30%

Question 18

What is the name of the jurist whose argument about humans as rationale actors??

Answer 18

Jeremy Bentham