COMPETENCY TO STAND TRIAL EVALUATIONS:
A Manual for Practice

By
THOMAS GRISSO

    Of all the different forms of forensic mental health evaluations, the most frequently requested are competency to stand trial evaluations.  Dr. Grisso, a preeminent forensic researcher and teacher, has put together a field tested manual of immense value.  It is basic and straightforward, yet sufficiently complete to meet current legal requirements, professional standards, and the realistic demands of a forensic practice.  Included are reviews of competency assessment instruments; discussions of ethical issues in competency evaluations of  criminal defendants; case examples; and appendices detailing major legal cases, specialized evaluation tools, and reference citations.

REVIEWS

"This volume is an excellent guide for people moving from traditional clinical to forensic assessment who need a comprehensive framework within which to understand  competency.  In addition, it provides a framework for 'quality control' for more experienced examiners who, at times, may forget or overlook some of the important steps that Grisso outlines."
    *Contemporary Psychologist

"Dr. Thomas Grisso has combined relevant research and a multitude of practical considerations to guide the inexperienced clinician as well as the seasoned forensic practitioner in the proper evaluation of competency to stand trial.  This manual offers the examiner thoughtful, clear and concise methods for collecting and interpreting data to assist the court in the competency evaluation.  It is the best resource that I have seen for conducting a comprehensive examination of the critical issues associated with fitness for trial."
    -Paul D. Lipsitt, LLB, PhD, Past President, American Board of Forensic Psychology; Court Clinic Director; Lecturer on Psychology, Harvard Medical School

Preparing for a Forensic Mental Health Practice

   Dr. Grisso's 60 minute audiocassette tape, Preparing for a Forensic Mental Health Practice guides listeners through a process of self-examination concerning their preparedness for doing forensic evaluations, and then describes concrete steps listeners can take to prepare themselves for work in the legal arena.