Irresistible Impulse Test

The Irresistible Impulse Test is a legal standard used to determine if someone should be considered legally not responsible for a crime due to mental illness. It asks whether, at the time of the crime, a person was unable to control their actions because of an overwhelming impulse caused by a mental disorder. Even if they understood what they were doing was wrong, their mental condition made it impossible to resist acting on the impulse. This test helps courts evaluate whether mental illness prevented voluntary control over behavior during the offense.