The term insanity can be used quite often to describe the character Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment. However, the term is used most often regarding the subject of the law. One of the most famous cases involving the plea involves the would-be assassin, John Hinckley, Jr. The question is, would Raskolnikov be found insane if he were tried in court?
The law term insanity is used mostly in trial cases involving murder. If a brutal murder happens and it is obvious that the defendant is guilty, the defense's strategy would probably involve the insanity plea. This involves proving the defendant doesn't know the difference between right and wrong. It can also mean the defendant doesn't understand the legal proceedings. If the defendant is found not guilty because they are deemed insane, they are sentenced to a mental institution.
In 1982, President Reagan was coming out of a building when gun fire rang out. President Reagan, cabinet member James Brady and two secret service agents were hit. Reagan suffered only a minor injury, Brady was paralyzed, and the agents were only slightly hurt. Still, the act of shooting at a president is a felony. The main suspect was a young man named John Hinckley Jr., a middle class man from Colorodo. He said he shot at the president in order to impress a movie star whom he didn't know. The defense pleaded insanity and the plea was accepted. That case was a turning point in law. Congress has been successful in limiting the plea to a minimum in major trial cases.
Today, if Raskolnikov were put on trial for the double murder, it could go either way, depending on the jury and lawyers. Based on Raskolnikov's essay on ordinary men, and his suspicious behavior, the insanity plea is quite viable. The defense could say the defendant was not of sound mind and would have plenty of witnesses (Razumihin, Sonya, Dunya, etc.) to back it up.
Raskolnikov's situation is much like O.J. Simpson's. There was a double murder with no witnesses. Raskolnikov's acts could be considered insane, though. With the insanity plea around, anyone has a chance to get away with anything, even someone who shoots the president in broad daylight and tons of witnesses. That is why Congress had to place restrictions on it. It was exploited too much.