IST
The letters IST stand for [BLANK].
What is Incompetent to Stand Trial?
The court uses information from the [BLANK] to decide if you are able to think clearly, cooperate with your lawyer, and engage in your trial.
What is Competency Evaluation?
The competency evaluation is done by a [BLANK], usually through State Forensic Services at RPC.
What is a Forensic Psychologist?
[BLANK] presides over the court room, making sure the case is handled fairly and that the rules of law are obeyed by everyone.
Who is the Judge?
You are innocent, you did not commit the crime. You enter a plea of [BLANK].
What is Not Guilty
After you committed a crime, someone noticed that you had mental challenges that would prevent you from having a [BLANK] trial.
What is Fair?
The Competency Evaluation is not a "test" you take in writing. It consists of a [BLANK] with the psychologist. The psychologist also reads your chart and talks to staff who know you.
What is an Interview?
The forensic psychologist will send this to the court with an opinion about whether you are competent to stand trial or not.
What is a Report?
The [BLANK] presents evidence against you to the court and wants to prove that you are guilty.
Who is the Prosecuting Attorney? (Assistant Attorney General or Assistant District Attorney)
You are not willing to admit guilt or innocence. You enter a plea of [BLANK].
What is No Contest?
This person committed you for treatment of mental illness in order to help you restore competency.
Who is the Judge?
You would be considered [BLANK] if you: know your charges, know the possible penalties you face if found guilty of your charges, know how the court works, know what the judge and lawyers do, show improvement in your stability, and maintain safe and appropriate behavior.
What is Competent to Stand Trial?
Under IST order, your first evaluation will occur after you have been at RPC for about this many days.
What is 30 days?
The [BLANK] is a court-appointed attorney who represents defendants who have no money to pay for an independent attorney.
Who is the Public Defender?
You are willing to admit that you committed the crime, so you enter a plea of [BLANK].
What is Guilty?
You must pass this before you are able to return to court.
What is a Competency Evaluation?
The court uses information from the competency evaluation to decide if you are able to think and to talk in a sensible, understandable way. The court decides if you are likely to cooperate with your lawyer and the court process. If so, the judge will order that you be transported back to your county for a [BLANK] on whether you are officially competent to stand trial.
What is Competency Hearing?
If you do not pass the first evaluation, you will be evaluated when you have been here for about this many days.
What is 60 days?
A panel of 6 or 12 people from the community who listens to the evidence for you and the evidence against you. They are impartial, neutral, and decide if you are guilty or not guilty based on the evidence.
What is the Jury?
You ask the court to recognize that you were mentally ill at the time of the offense. You enter a plea of [BLANK].
What is Not Criminally Responsible?
In order to pass a Competency Evaluation, you must be able to Know [Blank], Understand [Blank], and Work With [Blank].
What is: Know your charges and possible penalties; Understand how the court system works; Be able to work with your lawyer.
The forensic psychologist wants to know if your mental health problems are [BLANK]. Your psychologist and psychiatrist will observe your behavior and listen to how you communicate. Records will also indicate what your day-to-day behavior on the unit and in activities is like. Other staff will give information about whether you are cooperating and trying to improve.
What is Responding to Treatment?
If you do not pass your 60-day evaluation, you will remain here for IST treatment to restore competency and complete a second evaluation. You will continue having evaluations until you restore competency, or [after no longer than 6 months] you may be found not competent to proceed, which is often called this.
What is Non-Restorable?