Insanity Defense Reform Act

The Insanity Defense Reform Act (IDRA), enacted in 1984, is a U.S. law that limits the use of insanity as a defense in criminal cases. It shifted the focus from the defendant's general mental state to whether they met a specific, strict legal standard: that they couldn't understand the nature of the crime or distinguish right from wrong at the time of the offense. The law also placed the burden of proof on the defendant to show insanity and reduced the circumstances under which mental illness could excuse criminal responsibility, making it more challenging for defendants to claim insanity successfully.