ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 12

The Incompetent Defendant: Support Systems Help Avoid Future Legal Problems
Felthous, AR
Chief of Forensic Psychiatry and Acting Director of Adult Psychiatry Division, University of Texas Medical Branch, TX

Brown, DL
Child Psychiatry Fellow, University of Texas Medical Branch, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, TX

Barratt, ES
Chief of Psychological Division, University of Texas Medical Branch, TX

Brown, LA
Psychological Associate, University of Houston, TX

Stanford, M
Post-Doctoral Fellow of Psychological Division, University of Texas Medical Branch, TX

(Received 22 November 1993; accepted 19 January 1994)

Abstract

Reducing crime and improving efficiency of our criminal justice system should be facilitated by identifying how to treat and manage mental health patients who are prone to committing criminal acts more effectively. A total of 142 competency evaluations were reviewed from cases evaluated by the Galveston County Forensic Psychiatrist from 1984 to 1990. Examination of data from these defendants allowed us to address the psychiatric needs of these defendants in terms of contact with the mental health system, particularly those who had more than one criminal justice system contact. The latter defendants lacked social support systems and consistent mental health system follow-up to provide stabilization of their condition. It was felt that this was a factor in their more frequent contact with the criminal justice system.

Keywords:
psychiatry, defendants, competency evaluations, mental health systems, forensic science, criminalistics

Paper ID: JFS13684J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13684J
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