INSTRUMENTS TO EVALUATE A PERSONS COMPETE NCE TO STAND TRIAL - A REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTATION

Objectives: To present current methods used to assess fitness to stand trial (FST), draw a par-allel between these methods and studies of fa ctors associated with decisions regarding FST: and describe the limits inherent to the field of FST. Method; Survey of the relevant literatu re from Psychinfo and Medline databases from 1967 to 1996 inclusively. Results: Ten instruments were identified for the systematic collectio n of information from persons assessed for FST. The description and an alysis of their psychometric qualities, however, indicate that these i nstruments present some problems. Conclusion: Although same research h as shown that diagnosis is the factor most associated with decisions r egarding FST, no instrument includes a systematic assessment of psycho pathology. If we take into account the possible consequences of these decisions for the accused as well as for society these assessments and the recommendations that follow prove to be extremely, important.