Karen Franklin, Ph.D.



           PSY 8559: Competency Assessment and Remediation

Back to Home

I-650 Course Overview Instructional Objectives Student Evaluation
Cultural Issues   Required Readings

COURSE OVERVIEW

This is an advanced-level course required of all third-year Forensic Family Child Track students. The focus is on the legal and psychological issues pertaining to competency in a variety of contexts. Students will review research and practice issues involved in assessing (and in some cases treating) a broad array of incompetencies. Specific topics include the presumption of incompetence of children and adolescents; evaluating minors' level of functioning; transfer of juveniles to adult criminal courts; current controversies in competency to stand trial; other criminal competencies (e.g., to consent to searches/seizures, to confess, to waive the right to counsel, to testify, and to be sentenced to death); civil competencies (including conservatorships, guardianships, and the right to refuse treatment), and assessment of the testamentary capacity of adults/elders (e.g., for wills, trusts, and advance medical directives).

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
Students who complete this overview course will have a basic understanding of the concept of competency as it applies to various psycholegal situations. They will be familiar with some of the instruments used to assess competency, and the research bases upon which these instruments are founded.

EVALUATING STUDENT LEARNING
Competency Reports (2)     40%
Pop Quizzes (4)                    20%
Brief Assignment (1)             5%
Class attendance                25%
Class participation              10%

CLASS COMPONENT ON CULTURAL AND ETHNIC ISSUES
An understanding of how culture interacts with psycholegal issues is absolutely essential to competence as a forensic psychologist. Thus, cultural issues will be an integral aspect of every topic in this course. Similarly, ethical guidelines for the practice of forensic psychology will be discussed in the context of each course topic.

REQUIRED READINGS
Texts:

Grisso, T. (2003). Evaluating Competencies: Forensic Assessments and Instruments, 2nd Edition. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers.

Melton, G. et al (1997). Psychological evaluatons for the courts: A handbook for mental health professionals and lawyers, 2nd Edition. Chapters 6, 7 & 11. On library reserve.

Articles: In Reader.

NOTE: The complete syllabus for this course is available from Alliant University/CSPP, Alameda Campus.

Return to Dr. Franklin's Courses

Return to Top

Return to Home Page

P.O. Box 1084, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Telephone and fax: (510) 232-1920

California License #PSY 16570
Washington License #PY 2305

Contact information: query at karenfranklin.com