Signed into law by President John F. Kennedy on October 31, 1963, the Act was the first of several federal policy changes that helped spark a major transformation of the public mental health system by shifting resources away from large institutions towards community-based mental health treatment programs
Advantages: Lighter Sentence. ... Reduced Charge. ... The Case Is Over. ... Disadvantages. ... Avoiding Problems with Prosecution's Case. ... No “Not Guilty” Result. ... Possibility of Coercion.