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Criminal Justice Policy Review
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A Pilot Study of the Porterville Developmental Center’s Court Competency Training Program

Jennifer M. Bertsch

Alliant International University

Jane A. Younglove

Alliant International University

Marcee G. Kerr

Alliant International University

By statute, in California (and in many other states) if at the time of trial a defendant’s mental competence is called into question, efforts must be made to render that individual competent before proceeding. If such efforts fail, the person is absolved of criminal responsibility. In light of this legal mandate, the Porterville (California) Developmental Center created its Court Competency Training Program. The present study was a limited evaluation of the Porterville program and involved developmentally delayed criminal defendants rather than those who are mentally ill. Results showed that individuals who were adjudged as incompetent to stand trial due to developmental disability and enrolled for 6 months in the training program demonstrated significant gain in Competency Assessment Instrument (CAI) score. The same gain was not evidenced by developmentally delayed Porterville residents who were not criminal defendants and not enrolled in the training program. Although the results were based on a small sample size, they do suggest that additional research with the CAI and developmentally delayed criminal defendants would be fruitful.

Criminal Justice Policy Review, Vol. 13, No. 1, 65-77 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/0887403402013001005
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