A Behavior Analyst's Perspective on Competency to Stand Trial for Criminal Defendants

The meaning of competency to stand trial
The Dusky Decision
The deficits that incompetent defendants may possess
The moral and ethical dilemmas faced by providers for competency restoration services
Misconceptions about competency to stand trial that have been observed in clinical work
The Education Process:
The defendant's ability to understand the charges which includes:
The legal meaning of these charges
The seriousness and possible consequences of your legal situation
The roles and functions of the personnel in the courtroom
The ability to understand the differences between various pleas and verdicts
The defendant's ability to assist in his or her defense, including:
Describing behavior at the time of the crime
Being able to work with your defense attorney or public defender
Being able to display appropriate behavior in the courtroom
Hospitals rely on both medication and psychological interventions to treat mental illness. The psychological treatments most often include:
Education about court procedure
Social skills training
Group therapy
Individual therapy
It should be noted that there are no rules about how long an ICST will remain in the hospital. Mental health professionals are usually not able to predict the amount of time it takes to restore competency. The hospital environment can be important in restoration of skills and relief from the symptoms of mental health disorders.
The use of Behavior Support Plans (BSPs) as part of competency restoration:
How a behavior problem can impact competency restoration
An example of a token economy plan to assist with one patient in need of restoration services
The variety of problems patients may have who are in need of these services and how care can be provided for such a diverse array of patients

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