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Criminal Justice

A Sick System

Repeat Attacks After Pleading Insanity

Editor’s Note, Jan. 18, 2019: Several stories in this series about Oregon’s handling of people found “guilty except for insanity” contain significant errors. Read this post to learn more about the mistakes we found. We have left the original uncorrected articles below.

Decades after the nation moved away from long-term commitment for people with mental illness, the state of Oregon has freed some people found “guilty except for insanity” in violent crimes, and they later attacked again.

Impact of Our Reporting
Caret

A Sick System

Oregon Officials Call for Changes of Laws on Criminally Insane

The state’s attorney general said the rate of recidivism among defendants found not guilty by reason of insanity is “too high,” and key lawmakers said they plan to rewrite the state’s laws after an analysis by the Malheur Enterprise and ProPublica.

Local Reporting Network

15 stories published since 2018

Oregon Should Overhaul Handling of Insanity Defendants, Says Head of Psychiatry Security Review Board

Correction: Stories on Insanity Defense Included Factual Errors and Inaccurate Data

When the Calendar Requires the Release of Insanity Defendants in Oregon, Harm Often Follows

Criminally Insane in Oregon Attack Twice as Many People Than Previously Known, New Data Shows

Local Oregon Officials and Community Members Weigh in on Repeated Attacks After Pleading Insanity

What Oregon Officials Knew and When They Knew It

How We Analyzed the Outcomes of Those Freed by Oregon’s Psychiatric Security Review Board

Oregon Board Says Those Found Criminally Insane Rarely Commit New Crimes. The Numbers Say Otherwise.

Oregon Board Says Those Found Criminally Insane Rarely Commit New Crimes. The Numbers Say Otherwise.

How We Analyzed the Outcomes of Those Freed by Oregon’s Psychiatric Security Review Board

He Said He Faked Mental Illness to Avoid Prison. Now, Accused in 2 Killings, He’s Sent Back to a State Hospital.

Oregon Court System Shields Evaluation of Alleged Killer

Oregon Doctors Warned That a Killer and Rapist Would Likely Attack Again. Then the State Released Him.

How an Oregon Weekly Forced Release of Key Records in Murder Cases

Oregon Board Explains Why It Repeatedly Released Killer From Psychiatric Hospital

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