A Study of Criminal Defendants Adjudicated Non-Restorable to Competency to Stand Trial

Snyder, M. M., Fradella, H. F., Shafer, M. S., & Ashford, J. B. (2020). A study of criminal defendants adjudicated non-restorable to competency to stand trial in a rural southwestern county. Criminal Law Practitioner, 5(2), 6–53.

80 Pages Posted: 15 Sep 2020

See all articles by Matthew Snyder

Matthew Snyder

Arizona State University (ASU)

Henry F. Fradella

Arizona State University - School of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Michael Shafter

Arizona State University (ASU)

José B. Ashford

Arizona State University (ASU)

Date Written: August 3, 2020

Abstract

This study examines the demographic, clinical, and criminal characteristics of ninety-nine felony defendants in a primarily rural county in Arizona who were referred for clinical evaluation for competency to stand trial. Ninety-two of these people had their competency status adjudicated during the time period relevant to the study, sixty of whom were ultimately restored to competency and thirty-two of whom were determined to be non-restorable to competency. Of those in the latter group, most had serious mental illnesses or intellectual disabilities. Additionally, nineteen (59.4%) of the non-restorable defendants were referred for civil commitment proceedings, all but seven of whom were ultimately ordered into involuntary treatment. Only three (3) of the ninety-nine defendants in the study re-offended and were referred back into a restoration of competency program during a five-year period.

Keywords: competency to stand trial, civil commitment

Suggested Citation

Snyder, Matthew and Fradella, Henry and Shafer, Michael and Ashford, José B., A Study of Criminal Defendants Adjudicated Non-Restorable to Competency to Stand Trial (August 3, 2020). Snyder, M. M., Fradella, H. F., Shafer, M. S., & Ashford, J. B. (2020). A study of criminal defendants adjudicated non-restorable to competency to stand trial in a rural southwestern county. Criminal Law Practitioner, 5(2), 6–53., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3666234 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3666234

Matthew Snyder

Arizona State University (ASU)

Phoenix, AZ
United States

Henry Fradella (Contact Author)

Arizona State University - School of Criminology and Criminal Justice ( email )

411 North Central Avenue, Suite 600
Phoenix, AZ 85004-0685
United States

Michael Shafer

Arizona State University (ASU)

Phoenix, AZ
United States

José B. Ashford

Arizona State University (ASU)

Phoenix, AZ
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
107
Abstract Views
656
Rank
457,076
PlumX Metrics