In Exp. 1 50 subjects were randomly assigned to one of two videotape conditions. The experimental group watched a TV news program designed to expose some myths about the not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity plea (NGRI) while controls watched a neutral program. A seven-item test designed to measure knowledge about each myth was administered before and twice after exposure to the videotapes. Analysis showed no significant difference for any exposure. Exps. 2 and 3 showed that reading a brief factual report about NGRI significantly reduced the belief in these myths as compared to beliefs of groups who watched a TV news program.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
MorrowW.PetersonD. (1966) Followup of discharged psychiatric offenders—“Not guilty by reason of insanity” and “Criminal sexual psychopaths.”Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, 57, 31–34.
2.
National Mental Health Association. (1983) Myths and realities: a report of the National Commission on the Insanity Defense. Arlington, VA: Author.
3.
PasewarkR. A.PantleM. L.SteadmanH. J. (1982) Detention and rearrest rates of persons found not guilty by reason of insanity and convicted felons. American Journal of Psychiatry, 139, 892–897.
4.
SimonR. J.AaronsonD. E. (1988) The insanity defense: a critical assessment of law and policy in the post-Hinckley era. New York: Praeger.
5.
SpodakM. K.SilverS. B.WrightC. U. (1984) Criminality of discharged insanity acquittees: fifteen-year experience in Maryland reviewed. Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 12, 373–382.
