Any opinions on the insanity plea? Do you agree with it's use?

I'm actually a high school student that is preparing to debate on the justice related to the insanity plea. I am affirmative in the case and will be arguing that the insanity plea is unjust.If anyone can help by sending me information, quotations, evidence to support my stance, please write to swmnerink@mmsn.com It would be greatly appreciated. Right now I agree with my stance, I don't think it's fair for people to use the insanity plea to justify such horrible crimes such as homicide. There have been too many cases where the insanity plea has been abused just to escape punishment. I really do not believe that people are completely unaware of the crimes they are committing. Death is a crystallized fact that nobody can confuse, and pretending that one isn't aware that they are killing is completely ridiculous. Justice needs to be served.

when it comes to the insanity plea, i think prior to the court hearing if they plan on pleaing insanity they should be sent to the doctor. if nothing is found wrong with them then they should not be allowed to plea insanity. they have to have proof, it would be horrible if somebody faked insanity and got away without a prison sentence.

I think that pleaing insanity is the easy way out. When you hear about a homicide the person being charged always ends up towards the end saying that they didnt know what they were doing. So they end up plea insane and being placed in a metal institution for 2 years then they are set free. I also agree that if the person in planning on pleaing insanity then they should be court ordered to go to a specialist to see if they have any metal conditions. And if not then they have to go through a normal court hearing.

I think that when people plea insanity that it should be for a good reason, such as a 5 year old who stabs someone becasue is mother or father is always threating to kill someone or becasue this person really did not know what they were doing. Someone who takes another persons life with a gun shouldn't be able to plea insanity becasue if they knew how to work the gun and they are of leagual age then they really did know what they were doing. Maybe they didn't intend to kill that person but they did and they shouldn't get off by saying "I really didn't know what I was doing."

The insanity plea is like the easy way out, if they are found legally insane then there is a likely chance they actualy were in one way or another insane, or mentally handicapped. If people plead insanity and they are found guilty they should be watched closely for a long time so that it can be determined whether or not they actually are insane, and whether or not their plea was acurate because if they arent insane and they get off on the insanity plea it isnt fair, this plea is almost like a loophole in the justice system if someone can really act legally insane to escape the harsh conditions of prison, and to live easy with everyone thinkin you wouldnt hurt anybody if you weren't "insane". i think for people who are insane the insanity plea is good but they need to be watched because eventually you will know whether they are atually insane or not.

I am a middle school student doing a debate on the insanity plea and i think that the insanity plea is an easy way out.