NCJ Number
224424
Journal
Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2008 Pages: 280-292
Date Published
September 2008
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article discusses interview findings with evaluators of competence-for-execution examinations in Texas.
Abstract
This article describes the practices of mental health professionals in one State who have conducted at least one competence-for-execution (CFE) evaluation. It is noted that, in 1986, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional to execute individuals who are insane; however, the Court did not specify the criteria that must be met for an individual to be insane or incompetent for execution. Key issues addressed in this article include an outline of the procedures necessary for these evaluations; what criteria must be met for incompetence; and what evaluators think about assessing factual versus rational understanding of death in these cases. The results provide discussion of a variety of other topics from the interviews, including essential assessment procedures, test use, familiarity with CFE evaluation guides, clinical interviews, and inmates’ ability to consult with an attorney. Data were derived from a semistructured 12 question interview which inquired about evaluators’ experiences and opinions relating to these examinations. Eight psychologists and eight psychiatrists who practice in Texas participated in the study, with five having performed oneCFE evaluation, and the rest having performed between two and five evaluations. Table, references