Fitness to Stand Trial Evaluations in Immigration Proceedings

Fitness to stand trial evaluations are the most commonly conducted mental health examination in Canada (O'Shaughnessy, 2007; van der Wolf, van Marle, Mevis, & Roesch, 2010). As the concept of fitness is defined in 1992 in the revision of the Canadian Criminal Code, these evaluations are lim...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian psychology = Psychologie canadienne 2016-11, Vol.57 (4), p.284-290
Main Authors: Ramos-González, Nishma N., Weiss, Rebecca A., Schweizer, Jillian, Rosinski, Amanda
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjudication
Competency to Stand Trial
Human
Immigration
Medical personnel
Mental disorders
Mental health care
Noncitizens
Psychosis
Refugees
Trials
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Summary:Fitness to stand trial evaluations are the most commonly conducted mental health examination in Canada (O'Shaughnessy, 2007; van der Wolf, van Marle, Mevis, & Roesch, 2010). As the concept of fitness is defined in 1992 in the revision of the Canadian Criminal Code, these evaluations are limited to criminal settings and do not directly apply in other potentially relevant legal areas. However, a similar criterion exists for those in immigration proceedings. The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) requires that those members who are responsible for hearing and deciding the cases designate a representative for foreign nationals or detainees who are unable to appreciate the nature of the immigration proceedings. Still, the IRB does not provide standardized procedures for the evaluation of individuals' level of appreciation. The lack of clear guidelines is juxtaposed with an increased burden on the part of immigrants as they often complete these court proceedings without legally trained representatives. Therefore, an evaluator must assess for a comparatively high level of appreciation and ability to communicate in the context of potential cultural and language barriers. This paper reviews the legal standards for fitness to stand trial, as well as the limited literature regarding the impact of cultural variables on this type of evaluation. The authors then highlight recommendations for clinicians, IRB members, and policymakers regarding fitness assessments for immigration proceedings. L'évaluation de l'aptitude à subir un procès est l'examen de santé mentale le plus courant au Canada (O'Shaughnessy, 2007; Van der Wolf, Van Marle, Mevis & Roesch, 2010). Puisque la notion d'aptitude est définie dans la version de 1992 du Code criminel du Canada, son évaluation s'effectue seulement dans un contexte de criminalité et ne s'applique pas directement dans d'autres éventuels domaines juridiques. Toutefois, un critère semblable est utilisé dans le cadre de la procédure relative à l'immigration. La Commission de l'immigration et du statut de réfugié du Canada (CISR) exige que les membres responsables des audiences et des décisions désignent une personne pour représenter les ressortissants ou les détenus étrangers qui ne sont pas en mesure de bien comprendre la nature des procédures d'immigration. Néanmoins, la CISR ne dispose pas de procédures normalisées pour l'évaluation du niveau de compréhension des personnes visées. L'absence de principes directeurs clairs s'
ISSN:0708-5591
1878-7304
DOI:10.1037/cap0000070