Which statement describes the New York insanity standard?

Which statement describes the New York insanity standard?

• A. It requires lack of substantial ability to appreciate the nature and consequence of the act or the wrongfulness of the act
• B. It requires lack of ability to control actions
• C. It requires lack of ability to understand punishment
• D. It requires knowledge of the law while acting

Answer: (A)

The essential idea here is New York’s insanity standard: a defendant with a mental illness or defect must lack substantial capacity to either understand the nature and consequences of the act or know that the act was wrong. The phrase “substantial capacity” means partial impairment is enough, not total incapacity. That’s why describing a lack of substantial ability to appreciate the nature and consequences of the act or the wrongfulness of the act best captures the NY rule. This differs from an impulse-control test (which focuses on the ability to control actions) and from any notion of understanding punishment or knowing the law while acting, which are not part of New York’s insanity criterion.

The essential idea here is New York’s insanity standard: a defendant with a mental illness or defect must lack substantial capacity to either understand the nature and consequences of the act or know that the act was wrong. The phrase “substantial capacity” means partial impairment is enough, not total incapacity. That’s why describing a lack of substantial ability to appreciate the nature and consequences of the act or the wrongfulness of the act best captures the NY rule.

This differs from an impulse-control test (which focuses on the ability to control actions) and from any notion of understanding punishment or knowing the law while acting, which are not part of New York’s insanity criterion.