Skid, it is not a distraction to observe that the legal definition of "insane" both for criminal responsibility and eligibility for punishment bears no relationship to common sense or reality. It's quite common for people who are literally bat *expletive deleted*it crazy to be convicted and found, legally speaking, sane when they'd otherwise be committed for treatment.
So apparently you choose not to research the SCOTUS decision, which says essentially the same thing you are jumping up and down on your soapbox about. Which makes discussing anything except the existence of the ruling a distraction. But for the sake of carrying this
ad absurdium I'll let you instruct me on how someone *expletive deleted*it crazy can effectively participate in their defense and understand the import of both the crime they stand accused of and the penalty they face. SCOTUS did leave open the door for the *expletive deleted"it crazy who could be restored to those levels by medical treatment (generally psychotropic medication).
Just as an aside, are you aware than in the 1970s America deinstitutionalized over 90% of the *expletive deleted*it crazy people that were previously locked away in mental wards because they were not a threat to themself or to others? And yet here we are talking about some guy who most likely is not *expletive deleted*it crazy who has clearly demonstrated that he was a danger to others.
e]As for American prisons, it's bizarre that you'd require no examination of anywhere else in the world as an option. But anyway, how about the US before the 90's? We didn't always imprison millions of people every year. We still don't have to.
Whoa, there! I thought we were discussing the option of life imprisonment vs. the death penalty. Where did all these other millions of folks get tickets to join the conversation?
But to honor your request for an explanation of why I asked to limit the discussion to American society and the American penal system - it is because American society is just as unique as, for instance, Japanese or Finnish or Norwegian or even British societies and like those the odds of changing American society to even remotely resemble those would take, at a rapid (read: forced) pace, something like eight generations. FYI America finds itself in, depending on how you want to count it, either the 1st or 2nd generation of an attempt to force such a change. I am sure you are aware of the pushback that effort is receiving. Remember, it takes less than 5% of the population to run an effective resistance, while it takes around 65% over two to three generations to allow changes to be made "for" them.
stay safe.