DEPRESSION IN JAILED WOMEN DEFENDANTS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR ADJUDICATIVE COMPETENCE

Authors
Citation
Re. Redding, DEPRESSION IN JAILED WOMEN DEFENDANTS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR ADJUDICATIVE COMPETENCE, Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 25(1), 1997, pp. 105-119
Citations number
53
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,Law
ISSN journal
10936793
Volume
25
Issue
1
Year of publication
1997
Pages
105 - 119
Database
ISI
SICI code
1093-6793(1997)25:1<105:DIJWDA>2.0.ZU;2-J
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between depression, as measured b y four indices, and jailed women defendants' adjudicative competence ( ''competence to stand trial''). Competence was assessed by the MacArth ur Competence Assessment Tool-Criminal Adjudication (MacCAT-CA) in thr ee areas: understanding, reasoning, and appreciation. Depression was n ot significantly correlated with any competence measure. More depresse d women, however, were more likely to feel that they would not be trea ted fairly by the legal system. This finding is consistent with resear ch showing that depressed people tend to have pessimistic perceptions. The rates of depression were far above the rates in the general femal e population, and many of the participants were clinically depressed. In addition, competence generally was negatively correlated with measu res of psychoticism, emotional withdrawal, and general psychopathology . Implications of the results for addressing the mental health needs o f women defendants, and for defense attorneys and forensic clinicians working with them, are discussed.