Competency Screening Test (CST)

The Competency Screening Test (CST) was developed to address the unnecessary pretrial detention and commitment of individuals charged with crimes but likely to be judged fit to stand trial. This forensic instrument was designed and tested to provide objective measures based on the legal criteria for determination of a defendant's capacity to participate in his or her own defense against criminal charges. Psychological diagnoses of mental illness or mental retardation may indicate incompetency for trial but may not be sufficient for such a finding by a court. Therefore, this test was developed to reduce the risk of inappropriate findings based on mental state alone.

The right of a person to be mentally as well as physically present to face his or her accusers was recognized as ...

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