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Chapter
Clinical Forensic Evaluations for Juvenile Transfer to Adult Criminal Court
DOI link for Clinical Forensic Evaluations for Juvenile Transfer to Adult Criminal Court
Clinical Forensic Evaluations for Juvenile Transfer to Adult Criminal Court book
Clinical Forensic Evaluations for Juvenile Transfer to Adult Criminal Court
DOI link for Clinical Forensic Evaluations for Juvenile Transfer to Adult Criminal Court
Clinical Forensic Evaluations for Juvenile Transfer to Adult Criminal Court book
ABSTRACT
The past two decades evidenced marked advances in theoretical and scientific work on the topic of juvenile transfer to adult criminal courts. Melton, Petrila, Poythress, and Slobogin (1987, 1997) produced one of the first chapters discussing juvenile transfer evaluations and provided initial information on how psychologists might address the amenability to treatment question. Subsequently, Ewing (1990) wrote one of the first journal articles on juvenile transfer evaluations and discussed specific ways in which psychologists could address the questions of dangerousness, sophistication-maturity, and amenability—constructs widely accepted to be relevant in the transfer decision (and disposition in general). Ewing noted that psychologists, because of their clinical training might be in a particularly good position to address questions of developmental maturity. Later, Kruh and Brodsky (1997) wrote an article on transfer to adult courts and outlined ways in which youth might be assessed on the constructs of dangerousness, developmental maturity, and amenability to treatment. At the time, Kruh and Brodsky argued that clinicians might be in a better position to address questions of developmental maturity, but also provided suggestions for ways in which amenability and dangerousness could be evaluated. Their paper also pointed to future research that was needed if transfer evaluations were to be conducted in a sound manner. That same year, Witt and Dyer (1997) provided information for how clinicians might conduct scientifically grounded waiver-of-jurisdiction evaluations. Grisso (1998, 2000, 2013) also provided information on how to conduct forensic evaluation of youth facing transfer and provided a specific structure for the evaluation. His work suggested that clinicians should focus on family, peers, community, academic and vocational skills, and personality functioning. Salekin (e.g., Salekin, Yff, Neumann, Leistico, & Zalot, 2002) provided empirical data on the core criteria that underpin the Kent (1966) constructs of dangerousness, sophistication-maturity, and amenability to treatment and also highlighted in a series of articles (Salekin, 2002a, 2002b; Salekin, Rogers, & Ustad, 2001) ways in which transfer cases might be addressed.