Assignment 2: Forensic Assessments

Offenders held at detention centers and awaiting trial are sometimes referred by the courts for evaluation of competency to stand trial (CST). Forensic mental health professionals conducting such evaluations can benefit from knowledge of accepted psychological tests and instruments used for CST evaluations along with awareness of the ethical responsibilities inherent in such evaluations.

Tasks:

Using at least three scholarly resources from the professional literature, research the essential psychological tests and screening instruments utilized for conducting a CST evaluation. The literature may include the Argosy University online library resources, relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, and .gov).

Based on your research, select a case for study for this assignment.

Write a 3- to 5-page report in a Microsoft Word document. Your report should include:

• A cover sheet and a reference page
• Formatting in the current APA style, including the font of Times New Roman and a size of 12 points

Address the following in your report:

• List and explain the essential psychological tests and screening instruments that would assist the forensic mental health professional in conducting a CST evaluation. Be sure that you provide enough information to thoroughly explain the theory behind each test or screening. Describe the relative strengths and weaknesses of these assessment instruments.
• Conduct a CST evaluation for the selected case. Based on your evaluation, assess the ethical responsibilities of the forensic mental health professional.

All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.

Submission Details:

• By the due date assigned, save your paper as M2_A2_Lastname_Firstname.doc and submit it to the Submissions Area.