Social Sciences and the Law

What does insanity mean in criminal law?

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Today, the term insanity is used chiefly in criminal law, to denote mental aberrations or defects that may relieve a person from the legal consequences of his or her acts.

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Get more facts and information about insanity . Or, view the full encyclopedia entry from The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.

Similar questions: What is the legal term for mental aberrations through which a person may not be responsible for his or her actions? How is the term insanity commonly used? [ Hide these questions ]

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