PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Kirk S. Heilbrun AU - Harry A. McClaren TI - Assessment of Competency for Execution? A Guide for Mental Health Professionals DP - 1988 Sep 01 TA - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online PG - 205--216 VI - 16 IP - 3 4099 - http://jaapl.org/content/16/3/205.short 4100 - http://jaapl.org/content/16/3/205.full SO - J Am Acad Psychiatry Law1988 Sep 01; 16 AB - Assessment of competency for execution presents two compelling ethical questions for mental health professionals: whether clinicians can ethically provide such assessment and, if so, how it should be done in order to maximize quality and minimize ethical conflict. In this article we address the issue of whether to participate and, if so, how. The question of whether to participate is discussed by summarizing the arguments for and against participation and offering guidelines for making a decision. The question of how to proceed is discussed in two contexts: preadiudication (before a formal decision about competency) and postadjudication'(following a determination of “incompetent” and transfer of the offender to another facilitv for treatment and further assessment). Finally, recommendations are made regarding research that would improve the quality of execution competency assessments.