http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/authors/267/allyson-l-gay Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Wed, 08 Apr 2026 01:51:30 -0400 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 01:51:30 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/334/the-law-of-adoption-a-time-for-change By Allyson L. Gay - Adoption is often classified under one umbrella with the assumption that all adoptions are the same. In reality, adoptions are not the same and in some situations are not even similar. Adoption statutes vary by state and individual situations can be affected by the race of the child and even by the religion of the birth mother. If no two adoptions are the same, how can something so complex be categorized under one, broad term? It cannot, and therefore, the best interest of the child in a particular case may not be the same in the case of another child. For this reason, the decision to receive... Thu, 02 Dec 2010 09:53 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/334/the-law-of-adoption-a-time-for-change http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/304/reforming-the-insanity-defense-the-need-for-a-psychological-defect-plea By Allyson L. Gay - This paper examines the role of societal biases on the use of the insanity plea, particularly with serial killers. As it stands today, society overestimates the use of the insanity plea when in fact it can only be pled in limited cases. This paper discusses the psychological shortcomings of serial killers and how even with these psychological defects, they do not fit the profile for the insanity defense. With societal biases against serial killers and the insanity plea, it is that much harder to achieve recognition for their psychological defects. Thus, this paper proposes a new defense, a psychological... Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/304/reforming-the-insanity-defense-the-need-for-a-psychological-defect-plea