Competency to Stand Trial Evaluations:
A Manual for Practice

CHAPTER 1:  DEFINING THE QUESTION

1.10  Legal Definition and Procedure for Competency to Stand Trial
1.20  What Legal Incompetency Is Not
1.30  Five Objectives of Competency Evaluations

CHAPTER 2:  SELECTING METHODS

2.10  General Considerations
2.20  Information for the Functional Objective
2.30  Information for the Causal Objective
2.40  Information for the Interactive Objective
2.50  Information for the Prescriptive Objective

CHAPTER 3:  COLLECTING THE DATA

3.10  Preparation
3.20  Scope and Setting of Evaluations
3.30  Accountability
3.40  Defendant Preparation
3.50  Sequence of Methods
3.60  After the Evaluation Session

CHAPTER 4:  INTERPRETING THE DATA

4.10  Functional Objective:  Inferences about Type and Degree of Deficits in Competency Abilities
4.20  Causal Objective:  Inferences to Explain Deficits in Competency Abilities
4.30  Inferences about Malingering
4.40  Interactive Objective:  Inferences about the Significance of Deficits
4.50  Prescriptive Objective:  Inferences about Remediation

CHAPTER 5:  COMMUNICATING FINDINGS

5.10  Types of Communications
5.20  Functions of Reports
5.30  Guidelines for Writing
5.40  Contents of Reports

CHAPTER 6:  IMPROVING COMPETENCY EVALUATION SYSTEMS

6.10  Referral Procedures
6.20  Promoting More Efficient Evaluations
6.30  Testimony on the Ultimate Legal Question
6.40  Continuing Education

APPENDICES

Appendix A:  Resources for Forensic Examiner's Continuing Education
Appendix B:  Legal Cases Often Cited to Address Standards and Procedures for Competency to Stand Trial
Appendix C:  Lists of Defendant Abilities and Trial Demands for Use in Pretrial Competency Evaluations
Appendix D:  Information about Competency Evaluation Instruments
Appendix E:  Example Report for a Pretrial Competency Evaluation

REFERENCES CITED