Question

What is mens rea and why is it important for understanding the rationale for the insanity defense?

Answer 1

Answer- The mental element of an individual's intention to commit a crime is considered as mens rea. Mens rea means a guilty mind. It helps the court to differentiate between people who did not mean to commit the crime and the people who intentionally commit a crime. It is very important to understand the rationale for the insanity defense because it determines whether a person committed a crime purposefully or accidentally. Mens rea describes that the defendant is responsible but the responsibility is diminished due to a certain mental state.