NCJ Number
194777
Journal
Legal and Criminological Psychology Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: February, 2002 Pages: 15-23
Date Published
February 2002
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article presents an overview of the tools available to psychologists who have been called upon to assess the competency of mentally challenged witnesses under the United Kingdom's rules of evidence.
Abstract
The article discusses a study of the tests and methods used to assess witness competency of mentally challenged or learning disabled individuals. The authors present a case study of a 22 year old female victim-witness with an IQ of 59. An overview of the court case at issue, the methods used by the defense to establish the witness’ competency, and the court’s eventual selection of psychological evaluation to determine witness competency are discussed. The methodology employed to establish the level of witness competency included administration of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence, the Vineland Adaptive Behavioral scale (Interview edition, 1984), the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale 2, and a 26 item truth-falsehood test. Based upon these tests, the authors determined that although the witness had limited intelligence and was highly suggestible, she had a relatively high level of social functioning and was successful in determining truth and the subject was eventually accepted as a competent witness. Based on their experiences the authors recommend use of a truth-falsehood instrument in the development of witness competency determination in cases such as this. The truth-falsehood instrument used by the authors in the case study appears as an appendix. 34 references