Assignment: Research And Juvenile Competency And The Courts
Research can be applied in the court system in the area of juvenile competency. In fact, there is an extensive research project on issues of juvenile justice conducted by the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice. This multifaceted research project "seeks to expand the base of knowledge about the origins, development, prevention, and treatment of juvenile crime and delinquency."* An additional goal of this research is to improve the current decision-making processes of the juvenile system and to set the stage for future reforms in juvenile justice policies and practices. One aspect of this major research undertaking is the MacArthur Juvenile Competence Study. Much information has come from this project and the empirical data is helping to reshape juvenile justice codes on juvenile competence to stand trial.
Review the web article, "Issue Brief 1: Adolescent Legal Competence in Court." Think about how this information might assist a forensic psychology professional who is tasked with assessing a juvenile's competency to stand trial.
• Using the Walden Library, select a research article dealing with the assessment of juvenile competency to stand trial.
• Review the article you selected and reflect on how the study was conducted as well as how it might assist a forensic psychology professional who is tasked with assessing a juvenile's competency to stand trial.
The assignment (3 pages):
• Explain the use of forensic psychology research in court settings.
• Briefly summarize the research study you selected, including how juvenile competency to stand trial was assessed.
• Explain how a forensic psychology professional might use this research study when assessing a juvenile's competency to stand trial.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.