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Best Practices in the Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial in Juveniles

Presented By Ivan Kruh, PhD
Ivan Kruh, PhD

20 hours | 20 CEs

This on-demand professional training program on Best Practices in the Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial in Juveniles is presented by Ivan Kruh, PhD. This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards Juvenile Forensic Assessment Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the competence to proceed with juveniles being adjudicated in juvenile and adult courts. This program focuses on conducting juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations that meet best practice standards.

The use of cases to highlight relevant issues is emphasized, and the program includes activities to assist participants in honing their interviewing, record reviewing, data interpretation, and report writing skills.

The program covers foundational issues, including the evolution of legislation regarding juvenile competence and differences in legislation across states. The manner in which these legal standards can be translated into measurable forensic concepts is discussed, with a focus on how these concepts differ between juvenile and adult cases. The current empirical literature relevant to juvenile adjudicative competence is reviewed, with a particular focus on the intersection of adolescent development and court-related functioning.

All of this background set the stage for a detailed discussion of conducting juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations. Preparation for the evaluation and the data collection process is examined, with a particular focus on developmentally sensitive competence interviewing, the role of available forensic assessment Instruments in juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations, and the importance of third-party corroboration. Methods for interpretation and integration of data are presented, as well as strategies for effective communication of findings.

Throughout this discussion, there is a focus on sensitivity to functional limitations based on normal child development and developmental psychopathology. Juvenile competence remediation is also highlighted.

Intended Audience

This on-demand professional training program is intended for mental health and other allied professionals

Experience Level

This on-demand professional training program is appropriate for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level clinicians.

CE / CPD Credit

APA, ASWB, CPA, NBCC Click here for state and other regional board approvals.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program you will be able to:

Describe the best practices in conducting juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations

Describe the legal standards for juvenile adjudicative competence

Describe forensic concepts, and models for thinking about juvenile adjudicative competence

Describe the body of empirical research related to the issue of juvenile adjudicative competence

Describe the role of normal childhood development in conducting developmentally sensitive juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations

Describe the role of developmental psychopathology in conducting developmentally sensitive juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations

Describe key elements in conducting a developmentally sensitive competence interview of a juvenile

Describe the strengths of using various forensic assessment instruments in the evaluation of juvenile adjudicative competence

Describe the weaknesses of using various forensic assessment instruments in the evaluation of juvenile adjudicative competence

Describe the steps in forming opinions relevant to juvenile adjudicative competence

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Presented By

Ivan Kruh, PhD

Ivan Kruh received his PhD in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Psychology & Law from the University of Alabama in 1998 and subsequently completed fellowship training in forensic psychology through the University of Washington. For ten years, he was the Director of Juvenile Forensic Me...

Curriculum

1. Introduction

2. Adolescent Development & Psychopathology

3. Juvenile Court History

4. Competence to Stand Trial

5. Conceptualizing Competence to Stand Trial

6. Juvenile Competence to Stand Trial

7. Relevant Research & The MacArthur Study

8. Clinical Guidance and State Law

9. Legal Ambiguity-Predicate Definitions

10. Developmentally Sensitive Evaluation

Develop a Specialty Area of Practice

Transforming mental health professionals into experts

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CE Credit

Earn CE credit for meaningful professional training that will elevate your practice

Convenience & Flexibility

Learn at your own pace, from wherever you might be!

PAU

Earn Certificates

This is badge-earning course, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like Linkedin.