Recent research has suggested nationwide increases in the rates of referral for competence to stand trial (CST) evaluations across the United States. Many of these evaluations are for defendants charged only with misdemeanor offenses and for whom diversion programs are most appropriate. The present study was designed to analyze the characteristics of, and re-arrest outcomes for, defendants charged with misdemeanors ordered to undergo CST evaluations in a large metropolitan area. Overall, there was a high base rate of incompetent to stand trial (IST) opinions (over 70% of defendants) in this sample, with the greatest impairments in rational understanding and ability to assist counsel. Defendants opined IST were more likely to have a psychotic disorder, a history of psychiatric hospitalization, and greater abnormalities in thought content relative to their competent counterparts. Of concern, defendants opined IST, and especially those referred for crisis evaluations upon dismissal of the charges, were significantly more likely to be re-arrested than their counterparts. These data support the criminalization hypothesis, suggesting that criminal justice involvement for this subset of defendants inappropriately reflects psychiatric instability, supporting the need for more options for inpatient and outpatient treatment to effectively intervene in this process. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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被控轻罪的被告的特征和结果将提交法院命令的能力评估。

最近的研究表明，在美国，全国范围内的胜任审判能力（CST）评估的推荐率有所提高。这些评估中有许多是针对仅被指控轻罪的被告，并且最适合采用转移程序的被告。本研究旨在分析被控轻罪的被告的特征和重新逮捕的结果，这些被告被指控在大都市地区进行CST评估。总体而言，在该样本中，无能力胜任审判（IST）意见的基本比率很高（超过70％的被告），在理性理解和协助律师的能力方面受到的损害最大。选择IST的被告更有可能患有精神病，有精神病住院史，相对于胜任的同行而言，思想内容上存在更大的异常。值得关注的是，被告认为IST，特别是那些因撤消指控而转交给危机评估的被告，比被告更可能被重新逮捕。这些数据支持刑事定罪假设，表明针对这部分被告的刑事司法介入不恰当地反映了精神病的不稳定，支持需要更多的住院和门诊治疗选择来有效干预这一过程。（PsycInfo数据库记录（c）2021 APA，保留所有权利）。这些数据支持刑事定罪假设，表明针对这部分被告的刑事司法介入不恰当地反映了精神病的不稳定，支持需要更多的住院和门诊治疗选择来有效干预这一过程。（PsycInfo数据库记录（c）2021 APA，保留所有权利）。这些数据支持刑事定罪假设，表明针对这部分被告的刑事司法介入不恰当地反映了精神病的不稳定，支持需要更多的住院和门诊治疗选择来有效干预这一过程。（PsycInfo数据库记录（c）2021 APA，保留所有权利）。