http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/psychological-defect 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 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:35:32 -0400 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:35:32 -0400 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