Continuing & Professional Studies, Palo Alto University

This self-paced training program on Best Practices in the Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial in Juveniles is presented by Ivan Kruh, PhD.

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus upon the competence to proceed of juvenile’s being adjudicated in juvenile and adult courts. This training program focuses on conducting juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations that meet best practices standards. The use of cases to highlight relevant issues is emphasized and the training includes activities to assist participants in honing their interviewing, record reviewing, data interpretation, and report writing skills.

The training covers foundational issues, including the evolution of legislation regarding juvenile competence and differences in legislation across states. The manner in which these legal standards can be translated into measurable forensic concepts is discussed, with a focus on how these concepts differ between juvenile and adult cases. The current empirical literature relevant to juvenile adjudicative competence is reviewed, with a particular focus on the intersection of adolescent development and court-related functioning. All of this background set the stage for a detailed discussion of conducting juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations. Preparation for the evaluation and the data collection process is examined, with particular focus upon developmentally sensitive competence interviewing, the role of available Forensic Assessment Instruments in juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations, and the importance of third-party corroboration. Methods for interpretation and integration of data are presented, as well as strategies for effective communication of findings. Throughout this discussion, there is a focus upon sensitivity to functional limitations based on normal child development and developmental psychopathology. Juvenile competence remediation is also highlighted.