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Used step‐wise multiple regression procedures to predict length of hospitalization of 225 defendants acquitted by reason of insanity in New York state. Of the 21 variables considered, only 9 (severity of offense, sex, marital status, days prior imprisonment, homicide offense, days previous civil hospitalization, educational level, race, number of victims) contributed to the significance of the regression equation. However, these accounted for but 11% of the observed variance.

This article summarizes the limited number of data-based research studies relating to the insanity plea that are to be found in the literature. Although some tentative conclusions might be made concerning some aspects of the plea's operation, the limited data base available makes these conclusions highly tentative and demonstrates the need of much further research in this area.

Examining 484 consecutive criminal cases in which the NGRI plea was made, it was found: (1) a high degree of interexaminer agreement existed on the issue of the defendant's mental state in a nonadversary exanaination procedure; and, (2) court verdicts were highly congruent with the opinions expressed by examiners on the issue of insanity.

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