NCJ Number
210026
Editor(s)
Robert G. Schwartz,
Lourdes M. Rosado
Date Published
June 2000
Length
114 pages
Annotation
This final module of a six-module curriculum of a Juvenile Court Training Curriculum instructs participants in the competencies that youth must have to perform various tasks in the juvenile and adult criminal court process, the skills needed by an expert who conducts competency evaluations, and the elements of good competency evaluations.
Abstract
The competence of a juvenile involved in the criminal justice system has become increasingly important because of changes in State law that have increased the severity of sanctions for juveniles, lengthened commitments for juveniles, increased transfers to adult criminal court, and contributed to more long-term consequences for delinquency adjudications and criminal convictions. Consequently, juvenile court professionals routinely require mental health professionals to conduct evaluations that will determine whether a juvenile is competent to participate rationally and responsibly in his/her processing. In order to assist juvenile justice professionals in this task, this module addresses the qualifications and role of a professional who conducts a competency evaluation, the elements of a good competency evaluation, the principles of forensic assessment relevant to a juvenile's competence to waive Miranda rights and participate in his/her adjudication, and how to use competency evaluation in making key decisions at various stages in the juvenile and adult criminal court process. The module includes a number of interactive exercises that include analyzing evaluations and examining a mental health professional in court. A 7-item bibliography and three appendixes with material for exercises