NCJ Number
178644
Journal
Criminal Justice Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: Fall 1997 Pages: 5-11
Date Published
1997
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article examines whether juvenile offenders can be expected to effectively assist in their own defense.
Abstract
A criminal defendant must be capable of meaningful participation in his or her defense, must be competent to stand trial, having “sufficient present ability to consult with his attorney with a reasonable degree of rational understanding and a rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings against him.” The issue of juvenile competency to stand trial began to emerge in the early 1990s amid a dramatic increase in violent offenses by juveniles. The article examines: factors involved in determining juveniles’ competency in criminal court; their understanding of the trial process and their ability to assist counsel; the law’s response to questionable competency; and lawyer response to youths’ incapacities.