Question 1

Which of the following is an assessment tool that can be used to evaluate a youth's risk for reoffending and related risk factors?

Accepted Answer

All three tools listed (Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth, Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory, and Risk-Sophistication-Treatment Inventory) are valid assessment tools used to evaluate a youth's risk for reoffending and related risk factors. It is important to utilize multiple assessment tools to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the youth's situation.

Question 2

The majority of defendants referred for competence evaluations are determined to be competent.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that the majority of defendants referred for competency evaluations are found to be competent to stand trial.

Question 3

What happens to someone found guilty but mentally ill?

Accepted Answer

When someone is found guilty but mentally ill, they are typically given the same sentence as someone who is "guilty." However, the defendant is supposed to start their sentence in a mental health facility and then be transferred to prison after they have completed their treatment. This is different than someone who is found not guilty by reason of insanity, who may be committed to a mental health facility for an indeterminate amount of time.

Question 4

Andrea Yates was first found guilty, but later found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Accepted Answer

Andrea Yates was initially found guilty for the murder of her five children, but upon appeal, her verdict was overturned and she was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Question 5

In Atkins v.Virginia, the Supreme Court held that persons with _________________ are exempt from the death penalty.

Accepted Answer

In Atkins v. Virginia, the Supreme Court ruled that executing individuals with intellectual disability is unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments.

Question 6

Some research has shown that since the implementation of juvenile transfer laws,

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some research has shown that since the...

Question 7

Forensic psychology is not officially recognized as a specialty area by the American Board of Professional Psychology.

Accepted Answer

Forensic psychology is officially recognized as a specialty area by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), which offers board certification for professionals in this field.

Question 8

Diminished capacity is a mental health defense that applies to defendants who lack the ability to ________________________.

Accepted Answer

Diminished capacity is a defense used to argue that a defendant was unable to form the intent necessary to commit a crime purposely and knowingly due to mental impairment.

Question 9

Competency focuses on a defendant's present abilities rather than his or her mental state at the time of the offense.

Accepted Answer

Competency evaluations are focused on evaluating a defendant's current mental capacity to stand trial and participate in legal proceedings, rather than determining their mental state at the time of the offense.

Question 10

Winslade and Ross (1983) reviewed trials in which the defendant used the insanity defense.On the basis of their analysis of the outcomes of these trials, they recommended that the insanity defense be eliminated.What did they suggest should happen instead?

Accepted Answer

Winslade and Ross (1983) suggested a two-phase trial system where the first phase determines guilt or innocence without considering the defendant's mental state, and the second phase addresses the appropriate disposition of the defendant, considering options like hospitalization or incarceration.

Question 11

Defendants must be found to have deficits in at least three areas to be found not competent to stand trial.

Accepted Answer

Competency to stand trial is generally determined by whether a defendant has a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings against them and can consult with their lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding. The specific criteria do not require deficits in at least three areas.

Question 12

After reviewing trials that used the insanity defense, UCLA psychiatrists Winslade and Ross offered the opinion that

Accepted Answer

Winslade and Ross concluded that the use of the insanity defense often results in injustice, as it can be misused or misunderstood, leading to unfair outcomes in trials.

Question 13

Which of the following are considered justifications for transfer of an adolescent into the criminal system?

Accepted Answer

All of the above (charged with homicide, charged with a violent felony, having a history of prior juvenile offending) are generally considered justifications for transfer of an adolescent into the criminal system. These factors suggest that the adolescent may pose a significant risk to public safety and may require more intensive or restrictive interventions than can be provided through the juvenile justice system.

Question 14

Most states established a criterion of "preponderance of the evidence" with regard to competency.In other words, a defendant had to show that it was more likely than not that he or she was incompetent.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately describes the criterion of preponderance of the evidence for competency in most states.

Question 15

Currently, _________ states have reverse transfer procedures to allow juveniles in adult court to petition to be returned to juvenile court for adjudication.

Accepted Answer

According to the Campaign for Youth Justice report on Reverse Transfer, as of 2021, 25 states have established some form of reverse transfer procedure.

Question 16

Which of the following is listed as a criticism of the guilty but mentally ill (GBMI) verdict?

Accepted Answer

A) The GBMI verdict requires jurors to make a difficult distinction between mental illness that results in insanity and mental illness that does not, which can lead to confusion and inconsistency in verdicts.
B) The GBMI verdict has not lived up to the promise that mentally ill offenders would be more likely to receive treatment, as there seems to be a lack of resources and programs specifically for GBMI offenders.
C) Research has shown that there is no significant difference in treatment or outcome between those found GBMI and those simply found guilty, which calls into question the usefulness of the GBMI verdict.

Question 17

Michael has been charged with murder, but he doesn't seem to understand the charge against him.He doesn't seem to understand that if he pleads guilty, he is going to go to prison.His attorney has been trying to work with him to no avail; Michael has not been rational the entire time he has been in custody.Since a defendant's competence is only evaluated in terms of one's ability to stand trial, it is likely that he'll just be advised to go ahead and enter a plea.

Accepted Answer

A defendant's competence is crucial for a fair trial. If Michael is not competent to understand the charges or the consequences of a plea, the court must address his competency before proceeding with the trial or accepting a plea.

Question 18

It is possible for a psychotic individual to be determined to be competent to stand trial in one trial, but not in another, more complex trial.

Accepted Answer

Competency to stand trial is determined on a case-by-case basis and can be affected by the complexity of the trial, the individual's current mental state, and other factors. Therefore, it is possible for someone to be deemed competent in one trial but not in another.

Question 19

The most common method for juvenile transfer, some ________ states rely on judicial discretion to transfer juveniles to criminal court for prosecution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The most common method for juvenile transfer,...

Question 20

About one-fourth of U.S.states have altered their insanity law by

Accepted Answer

One-fourth of U.S. states have altered their insanity law by adding a guilty but mentally ill verdict. This verdict allows for a defendant to be found guilty of a crime, but also acknowledges that they had a mental illness at the time of the offense.

Quiz 10: Forensic Assessment in Juvenile and Criminal Cases