Psy 270 Mind over Matter

Mind Over Matter

Alicia Medellin

PSY 270

September 29, 2011

University Of Phoenix

Mind Over Matter

The difference between mental illness and insanity is; in mental illness the person would have anxiety but still be able to differentiate between right and wrong; an individual with insanity is a person who cannot differentiate between what is right, and what is wrong, and is unaware of what the outcomes of their actions will be.

The McNaughten rule cannot be used on defense of a drunk person who kills another person because, the individual who was drunk was well aware of the outcome of his action; he/she knew that if they drank alcohol, and got behind the wheel of a car, there was the possibility of them causing an accident or killing someone; therefore they were aware of their actions.

Rational but guilty is an individual that has a mental illness but is aware that what they are doing is wrong.

Guilty but insane would be an individual who has an illness that interferes with their ability to differentiate between what is right or wrong but they are guilty of the crime, and they plead guilty of it.

Not guilty by reason of insanity is when an individual has no recollection of what they are doing, and they are unable to comprehend that what they are doing is not right.

In my opinion Eric was guilty, even though he had Schizophrenia at the moment he plotted the killing, he was well aware that what he was going to do was wrong; I believe that he would benefit more from being institutionalized than being in prison.