Treatment Planning for the Patient Who Is Incompetent to Stand Trial

¹ The Timothy B. Moritz Forensic Unit of the Central Ohio Psychiatric Hospital, 1964 West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43223

National attention has focused on criminal defendants who plead not guilty by reason of insanity, but the insanity defense is rarely successful. A far larger number of criminal defendants, estimated at 9,000 annually, are admitted to forensic and civil hospitals because they are found incompetent to stand trial. Once hospitalized, many of these defendants face the likelihood of indefinite commitment. This paper discusses issues related to the concept of incompetency to stand trial and presents an approach to treatment planning and programming designed to restore patients to competency.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Mossman, S. G. Noffsinger, P. Ash, R. L. Frierson, J. Gerbasi, M. Hackett, C. F. Lewis, D. A. Pinals, C. L. Scott, K. G. Sieg, et al. AAPL Practice Guideline for the Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, December 1, 2007; 35(Supplement_4): S3 - S72. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. G. Noffsinger Restoration to Competency Practice Guidelines Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol, June 1, 2001; 45(3): 356 - 362. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. A. Arrigo and M. C. Bardwell Law, Psychology, and Competency to Stand Trial: Problems with and Implications for High-Profile Cases Criminal Justice Policy Review, March 1, 2000; 11(1): 16 - 43. [Abstract] [PDF]

				H. R. Lamb Incompetency to Stand Trial: Appropriateness and Outcome Arch Gen Psychiatry, August 1, 1987; 44(8): 754 - 758. [Abstract] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 1985 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us