Not Guilty: By Reason of Insanity

“In 1981, photographers Robert Mack and Grace Zaccardi took a series of chilling photographs of patients at an American maximum security facility for the criminally insane. With the extraordinary cooperation of the hospital administration and the surprising openness and trust of the patients themselves, Mack and Zaccardi produced an impressive photographic essay exploring the complex social and human issues that make institutions like this hospital seem both frightening and inaccessible. It would be easy to sensationalize this situation, but the photographers have succeeded in approaching this project with a clear concept, which does not exploit the lives of the subjects. Reinforced by exceptional artistic quality, these photographs challenge our stereotyped views while enriching our personal sensitivity. The fate of the criminally insane, sometimes committed for unspeakable atrocities, charges our emotions, often leading to regrettably predictable intolerance and misunderstanding. In the best tradition of documentary photography, these images educate, humanize our perceptions, and graphically illustrate the conflicts surrounding the incarceration of the criminally insane.” - The Baltimore Museum of Art