title: Correlates of Competency to Stand Trial Among Youths Admitted to a Juvenile Mental Health Court.
abstract: Competency to stand trial (CST) assessment of juvenile offenders is a relatively recent phenomenon, as are juvenile mental health courts. Factors associated with youths' ability to participate in legal proceedings are not well understood, regardless of the court venue. Using a sample of 324 juveniles participating in the Los Angeles County Juvenile Mental Health Court (LAJMHC), we sought to explore the relationships of age, mental health diagnosis, and history of mental health treatment to CST status. Results suggest youths under the age of 15 were significantly more likely to have been found incompetent to stand trial (IST) when compared with older youths (p = .007). Youths with a diagnosis of a pervasive developmental disorder or intellectual disability were also more likely to be found IST than those without these diagnoses (p = .02 and p = .0001, respectively). Conversely, participants aged 16 or 17 years and diagnosed with a mood, substance abuse, or psychotic disorder were more likely to be found CST than those without these diagnoses (p < .0001, p = .035, and p = .0064, respectively). Participants with a history of psychotherapy or psychotropic medication were more likely to be found CST than were those without any treatment history (p < .0001). Further research on factors that affect CST status in juveniles who participate in mental health courts may be particularly salient to improve understanding of specific treatment and rehabilitative needs of youthful offenders, and to inform approaches to competency attainment and recidivism prevention services, both within these specialty courts and in juvenile proceedings in general.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Bath is Director, Child Forensic Services and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Reba-Harrelson is Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, and Forensic Psychologist, West Central Georgia Regional Hospital, Columbus, GA. Ms. Peace was formerly with Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs, and Dr. Shen and Dr. Liu are Professors, Division of Public Health and Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University California Los Angeles. Dr. Liu is also Professor, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine and Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles. This research project was supported by intramural funding from the UCLA School of Medicine, Semel Scholar Award for Junior Faculty Career Development. ebath@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Eraka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bath
authors.affiliation: Dr. Bath is Director, Child Forensic Services and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Reba-Harrelson is Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, and Forensic Psychologist, West Central Georgia Regional Hospital, Columbus, GA. Ms. Peace was formerly with Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs, and Dr. Shen and Dr. Liu are Professors, Division of Public Health and Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University California Los Angeles. Dr. Liu is also Professor, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine and Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles. This research project was supported by intramural funding from the UCLA School of Medicine, Semel Scholar Award for Junior Faculty Career Development.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reba-Harrelson
authors.affiliation: Dr. Bath is Director, Child Forensic Services and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Reba-Harrelson is Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, and Forensic Psychologist, West Central Georgia Regional Hospital, Columbus, GA. Ms. Peace was formerly with Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs, and Dr. Shen and Dr. Liu are Professors, Division of Public Health and Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University California Los Angeles. Dr. Liu is also Professor, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine and Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles. This research project was supported by intramural funding from the UCLA School of Medicine, Semel Scholar Award for Junior Faculty Career Development.
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peace
authors.affiliation: Dr. Bath is Director, Child Forensic Services and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Reba-Harrelson is Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, and Forensic Psychologist, West Central Georgia Regional Hospital, Columbus, GA. Ms. Peace was formerly with Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs, and Dr. Shen and Dr. Liu are Professors, Division of Public Health and Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University California Los Angeles. Dr. Liu is also Professor, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine and Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles. This research project was supported by intramural funding from the UCLA School of Medicine, Semel Scholar Award for Junior Faculty Career Development.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Dr. Bath is Director, Child Forensic Services and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Reba-Harrelson is Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, and Forensic Psychologist, West Central Georgia Regional Hospital, Columbus, GA. Ms. Peace was formerly with Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs, and Dr. Shen and Dr. Liu are Professors, Division of Public Health and Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University California Los Angeles. Dr. Liu is also Professor, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine and Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles. This research project was supported by intramural funding from the UCLA School of Medicine, Semel Scholar Award for Junior Faculty Career Development.
authors.forename: Honghu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D003416:Criminal Law; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D055815:Young Adult