title: Fitness in paradise: quality of forensic reports submitted to the Hawaii judiciary.
abstract: This paper examined quality of forensic reports submitted to the Hawaii Judiciary. Hawaii utilizes a three panel system for assessing fitness to proceed, where two psychologists and one psychiatrist submit independent reports to the Court. Utilizing a survey instrument based on previous research and nationally-derived quality standards, 150 competency to stand trial (CST) reports were examined. Reports demonstrated pervasive mediocrity with respect to quality (Mean QC=68.95, SD=15.21). One quarter (N=38) of the reports scored at or above 80% of the maximum possible score. Levels of CST agreement between evaluators and evaluators and judges were high. Report quality did not differ as a function of evaluator professional identity. Full-time employed evaluators submitted a greater number of reports above the quality criterion. For those evaluators who attended the March training, reports demonstrated significantly improved quality. Suggestions for enhancing report quality are offered with a special attention to inclusion of report elements, focus on inclusion of historical elements, and clearly described rationales supporting forensic opinions. (7664 words. Competency to stand trial, inter-rater agreement).
authors.affiliation: Argosy University Hawaii Campus, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Marvin W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Acklin
mesh_terms: D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006254:Hawaii; D006801:Humans; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*