Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Handbook of Forensic Sociology and Psychology pp 145–158Cite as

Competency Evaluations for Adult Defendants

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 2426 Accesses

Abstract

Starting level explanation of the adult competency assessment process. Includes overview of testing that may or may apply to individual cases, administrative issues, and relevant strategies for completion of these reports.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • ABC News (American Broadcasting Company, Inc.). (2011). http://abclocal.co.com/kgo/story?Section=news/local/north.bay&id=8294135

  • Aderibigbe, Y., & Watson, A. (1996). Female offenders. A description of their pretrial MMPI evaluations. American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, 17(1), 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychological Association. (1981). Standards for educational and psychological testing. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologist and code of conduct. American Psychologist, 57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arkes, H. R. (1981). Impediments to accurate clinical judgment and possible ways to minimize their impact. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 49(3), 323–330.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, B. E., Bryant, B. K., Vanderbos, G. R., & Greenwood, A. (1990). Professional liability and risk management. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Boersma D., Mogy, R., & Schazer, T. (1993). MMPI-2 validity research. Conducted at the center for forensic psychiatry, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Presented to the American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonnie, R. J., & Grisso, T. (2005). Adjudicative competence and youthful offenders. In T. Grisso & R. G. Schwartz (Eds.), A handbook of forensic psychology (pp. 73–103). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, T. W. (1999). Challenging the evidentiary reliability of the DSM-IV. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 17(1), 47–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper v Oklahoma, 517 U.S. 348 (1996).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornell, D. G., & Hawk, G. L. (1989). Clinical presentation of malingerers diagnosed by experienced forensic psychologists. Law and Human Behavior, 13(4), 375–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalby, J. T. (1988). Detecting faking in the pretrial psychological assessment. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 6(2), 49–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daubert v Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509, U.S. 579 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  • Drake, R. E., & Vaillant, G. E. (1985). A validity study of Axis II of DSM-III. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 142(5), 553–558.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Drope v Missouri, 420 U.S. 162 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dusky v United States, 362 U.S. 402 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  • Edens, J. (2009). Interpersonal characteristics of male criminal offenders – Personality, psychopathological, and behavioral correlates. Psychological Assessment, 21(1), 89–98.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Exner, J. E. (1974). The Rorschach – A comprehensive system. New York, NY: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falloon, I., & Talbot, R. (1981). Persistent auditory hallucinations, coping mechanisms and implications for management. Psychological Medicine, 11(3), 329–339.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finkle, M. J., Kurth, R., Cadle, C., & Mullan, J. (2009). Competency courts – A creative solution for restoring competency to the competency process. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 27(5), 767–786.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, M. A. (2008). Protecting confidentiality rights. American Psychologist, 63(1), 1–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, K., Lilienfeld, S., & Patrick, C. (2009). Detecting psychopathy from thin slices of behavior. Psychological Assessment, 21(1), 69–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gauron, E. G., & Dickenson, J. K. (1966). Diagnostic decision making in psychiatry: 1-information usage. Archives of General Psychiatry, 14(3), 233–237.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gerson, A. R. (2002). Beyond DSM-IV: A meta review of the literature on malingering. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 20(1), 59–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gothard, S. (2001). Malingering – An overview of detection techniques for forensic evaluators. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 22(1), 117–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gothard, S., Viglione, D. J., Meloy, J. R., & Sherman, M. (2007). Detection of malingering in competency to stand trial evaluations. Law and Human Behavior, 19(5), 493–505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hare, R. D. (1990). PCL-R (2nd ed.). Toronto, Canada: Multi-Health Systems, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hare, R. D., et al. (2000). Psychopathy and the predictive validity of the PCL-R: An international perspective. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 18(5).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, S. D., & Hare, R. D. (1992). Predictive fitness to stand trial: The relative power of demographic, criminal, and clinical variables. Forensic Reports, 5(1), 53–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, R. P., Kwentus, J. A., Taylor, J. R., & Harkins, S. W. (1987). Rate of forgetting in dementia and depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 236–238.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hebel, B. L., & Stelmach, H. (2007). Involuntary medication treatment for competency restoration of 22 defendants with delusional disorder. The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 35(1), 47–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurley, K. E., & Deal, W. P. (2006). Assessment instruments measuring malingering used with individuals who have mental retardation: Potential problems and issues. Mental Retardation, 44(2), 112–119.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kastl, A. J., & Podboy, J. W. (2008). Current problems with standardized psychological tests. 24th Annual Symposium of the American College of Forensic Psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koriat, A., Lichtenstein, S., & Fischhoff, B. (1980). Reasons for confidence. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning and Memory, 6(2), 107–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kucharski, L. T., Johnsen, D., & Procell, S. (2004). The utility of the MMPI-2 infrequency psychopathology F(p) and the revised infrequency psychopathology scales in the detection of malingering. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 22(2), 33–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurcharski, L. T., & Duncan, S. (2006). Clinical and demographic characteristics of criminal defendants potentially misidentified by objective measures of malingering. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 24(4), 5–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lally, S. J. (2003). What tests are acceptable in forensic evaluations? A survey of experts. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 34(5), 491–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lees-Haley, P. R. (1989). MMPI-F and F-K scales: Questionable indices of malingering. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 7(1), 81–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewak, R. W., & Hogan, R. S. (2001). Deceptions in psychological testing. American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, 22(3), 79–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, J., Simcox, A. M., & Berry, D. T. (2002). Screening for feigned psychiatric symptoms in a forensic sample by using the MMPI-2 and the structured inventory of malingered symptomatology. Psychological Assessment, 14(2), 170–176.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles Times, Inc.) (2008, April). Patient killing shocks state hospital. http://www.voicesofthegulag.org

  • McCann, J. I., & Evans, F. B. (2008). Admissibility of the Rorschach-defending the Rorschach in court: An analysis of admissibility using legal and professional standards. In J. Gacano (Ed.), The handbook of forensic Rorschach assessment. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meehl, P. (1954). Clinical v. statistical prediction: A theoretical analysis and review of the evidence. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Meloy, J. R. (2010). The black swan – Threat assessment of low frequency high intensity violence. Specialized Training Services, Annual Symposium.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, H. A. (1995). M-FAST: Miller assessment of symptoms test professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mossman, D., Bowen, M. D., Fanness, D. J., et al. (2010). Quantifying the accuracy of forensic examiners in the absence of a gold standard. American Psychology-Law Society. Law and Human Behavior, 34(5), 402–417.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mumley, D., Tillbrook, C. E., & Grisso, T. (2004). Five year research update (1996-2000): Evaluations for competency to stand trial (adjudicative competence). Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 21(3), 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murrie, D. C., Boccaccini, M. T., Zapf, P. A., Warren, J. T., & Henderson, C. E. (2008). Clinician variation in findings of competency to stand trial. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 14(3), 177–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neuman, G. G. (1988). Criminal psychopaths – Theories and discussion of causalities of criminal behavior. Annual Symposium of the American College of Forensic Psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nies, K. J., & Sweet, J. J. (1994). Neuropsychological assessment and malingering – A critical review of past and present strategies. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 9(1), 501–552.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Noonan, J. R. (1999). Competency to stand trial and the paranoid spectrum. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 17(3), 5–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oskamp, S. (1965). Overconfidence in case study judgments. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 29(3), 261–265.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pipes, R., Blevins, T., & Kluch, A. (2008). Confidentiality, ethics, and informed consent. American Psychologist, 63(7), 623–624.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pirelli, G., Gottdiener, W. F., & Zapf, P. A. (2011). A meta-analytic review of competency to stand trial research. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 17(1), 1–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pope, K. S., Butcher, J. N., & Seelen, J. (2006). The MMPI, MMPI-2, & MMPI-A in court (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Preston, J., & Liebert, D. S. (1990). Defending the Rorschach in forensic cases. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 8(1), 59–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raven, J. C., & Court, J. (2003). Manual for Raven’s progressive matrices and vocabulary scales. San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessments.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, W. H., & Gacono, C. (2002). Treatment of antisocial personality disorder, psychopathy, and other characterologic antisocial symptoms. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 18(5), 647–662.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ritson, B., & Forest, A. (1970). The simulation of psychosis – A contemporary presentation. The British Journal of Medical Psychology, 52(1), 79–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, G., & Yaren, S. (2000). Learning to malinger. American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, 21(4), 59–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roesch, R., & Golding, S. L. (1980). Competency to stand trial. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roesch, R., Zapf, P. A., Golding, S. L., & Skeem, J. L. (1999). Defining and assessing competency to stand trial. In A. K. Hess & I. B. Weiner (Eds.), The handbook of forensic psychology (2nd ed., pp. 327–349). New York, NY: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, R. (1997). Clinical assessment of malingering and deception (2nd ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, R., Bagby, R. M., & Chakraborty, D. (1993). Feigning schizophrenic disorders on the MMPI-2. Detection of coached simulators. Journal of Personality Assessment, 60(2), 215–226.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, R., Bagby, R. M., & Dickens, S. E. (1992). Structured inventory of reported symptoms (SIRS) professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, R., Bagby, R. M., Gillis, J. R., & Monteiro, E. (1991). Detection of malingering in the structured inventory of reported symptoms: A study of coached and uncoached simulators. Psychological Assessment, 3(4), 673–677.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, I., Lepper, M. R., Strack, F., & Steinmetz, J. (1977). Social explanation and social expectation: Effects of real and hypothetical explanations on subjective likelihood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35(11), 817–829.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryba, M., Cooper, J. G., & Zapf, P. A. (2003). Juvenile competency to stand trial evaluations – A survey of current practices and test usage among psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 34(5), 499–507.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sierles, F. (1984). Correlates of malingering. Behavioral Science and the Law, 2(1), 113–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, M. (1981). Seek and ye shall find. In E. T. Higgens, C. P. Herman, & M. P. Zanna (Eds.), Social cognition: The Ontario symposium on personality and social psychology. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tombaugh, T. N. (1996). The test of memory malingering. Toronto, Canada: Multi-Health Systems.

    Google Scholar 

  • United States v Lawrence, 26 F. Case 887 D.C. Cir, 1899.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitacco, M. J., Rogers, R., Gabel, J., & Monizza, J. (2007). An evaluation of malingering screens with competency to stand trial patients: A known groups comparison. Law and Human Behavior, 31(3), 249–260.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, J. I., Murrie, D. C., Stejkal, W., et al. (2006). Evaluation of competency to stand trial. Results from 8,146 evaluations. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 24(2), 113–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Widows, M. R., & Smith, G. P. (2005). SIMS: Structured inventory of malingered symptomatology professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins, E. C., & Brandt, J. (1988). The detection of simulated amnesia. Law and Human Behavior, 12(1).

    Google Scholar 

  • Youngjohn, J. R., Lees-Haley, P. R., & Binder, L. M. (1999). Comment – Warning malingerers produces more sophisticated malingering. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 14(6), 511–515.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Youtsey v United States, 97 F. 937 (6th Cir. 1899).

    Google Scholar 

  • Zapf, P. A., Hubbard, K. C., Galloway, V. A., Cox, M., & Ronan, K. A. (2004). Have the courts abdicated their responsibility for determinations of competency to stand trial to clinicians? Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 4(1), 27–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grass Valley, CA, 95945, USA

    Daisy Switzer Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Daisy Switzer Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daisy Switzer Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nursing and Health Sciences, California State University, East Bay, San Francisco, California, USA

    Stephen J. Morewitz

  2. College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Mark L. Goldstein

Appendices

Appendix

Some Examples of Tests Specific to the Issue of Competence

  • The MacArthur Competency Assessment Tool—Criminal Adjudication

  • The Mosey Forensic Competency Scale

  • The Evaluation of Competency to Stand Trial—Revised

  • The Test of Malingered Incompetence

  • The Competency Screening Test

  • The Competency to Stand Trial Assessment Instrument

  • The Georgia Court Competency Test

  • The Interdisciplinary Fitness Interview

  • The Interdisciplinary Fitness Test

  • The Fitness Interview Test

  • The Computer-Assisted Determination of Competency to Proceed

  • The Competence Assessment for Standing Trial for Defendants with Mental Retardation

  • The Metropolitan Toronto Forensic Service Fitness Questionnaire

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Switzer, D. (2014). Competency Evaluations for Adult Defendants. In: Morewitz, S., Goldstein, M. (eds) Handbook of Forensic Sociology and Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7178-3_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation