You have been hired by a Canadian lawyer to assess a defendant for competency to stand trial.As a first step,you have decided to conduct a competency screener.Describe the screener that you will use and justify your choice.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is • Fitness Interview Test-Revised (FIT-R)
• developed to meet the fitness criteria outlined in the Canadian Criminal Code
• semi-structured interview
• assesses three psychological abilities as outlined in the Code:
a. understanding of the nature or object of the proceedings
b. understanding of the possible consequences of the proceedings
c. ability to communicate with counsel
Each response is rated on a 3-point scale, ranging from 0 (indicates no to little impairment) to 2 (indicates severe impairment). Once the interview is complete, the evaluator must make a decision regarding overall fitness. The final decision involves three stages: (1) determining the existence of a mental disorder, (2) determining the defendant's capacity regarding each of the three psychological abilities stated above, and (3) examining the previous information.

You Have Been Hired by a Canadian Lawyer to Assess