Effects upon Social Perceptions of the Insanity Plea

Abstract

Interest and debate have increased over the “not guilty by reason of insanity” (NGRI) plea. However, little systematic research regarding societal reactions to this plea is available. Perceptions of the plea were analyzed by having 256 respondents read specially prepared newspaper stories that described the shooting of an individual. The female assailant compared to the male counterpart was: liked more, considered less likely to shoot someone again, held less responsible for the shooting, and perceived to deserve fewer years in prison. These findings were conceptualized under the framework of attribution theory. Moreover, differential reactions were a function of the respondent's sex. Finally, the report of a psychiatric history resulted in the NGRI plea being considered more acceptable in a court of law.