NCJ Number
176440
Journal
Journal of Crime and Justice Volume: 21 Issue: 2 Dated: 1998 Pages: 57-70
Date Published
1998
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Data from 288 mentally retarded criminal defendants in Florida were studied to analyze the relationship among mental retardation, violent behavior, and a judge's determination regarding competency to stand trial.
Abstract
The data came from the files of the Mentally Retarded Defendant Program (MRDP) at the Florida State Hospital, a secure forensic institution in Chattahoochee. The participants were all felony defendants who were admitted to and discharged from MRDP between 1977 and 1991. Results revealed that 52 percent of the participants were indicted with violent offenses; 48 percent were charged with nonviolent offenses. A majority of the participants were diagnosed as having mild retardation and had IQ's in the range of 55-69. Fifty percent of the violent defendants and 56 percent of the nonviolent defendants were diagnosed as or suspected of being mentally ill. Twenty-four percent of the participants were determined as competent to stand trial. Results also revealed that the proclivity toward violent behavior was not correlated with the severity of mental retardation among retarded criminal defendants. In addition, whether the retarded defendant's criminality was violent or nonviolent had no effect on a judge's competency determination. Notes and 29 references (Author abstract modified)