Development and effects of client trust in criminal defense attorneys: preliminary examination of the congruence model of trust development

The present study examines the relation between client participation in attorney-client relationships, the development of client trust in criminal defense attorneys, and client satisfaction with attorneys and case outcomes. The congruence model of trust development (CMTD) is proposed to explain the relation between desired participation by clients, allowed participation by attorneys, and the development of client trust in attorneys. The CMTD predicts that clients who trust their attorneys will subsequently be satisfied with their attorneys and case outcomes. A sample of 96 experienced criminal defendants currently in prison completed the Attorney-Client Trust Scale (ACTS: Boccaccini and Brodsky, 2002) and provided information about their experiences with their most recent criminal defense attorneys. Findings were generally consistent with the CMTD in suggesting that (i) allowed participation is associated with trust in attorneys, and (ii) trust is associated with satisfaction with attorneys and case outcomes.     

Assessment of competency for execution: professional guidelines and an evaluation checklist

The issue of whether mental health professionals should be involved in conducting evaluations of competency for execution is a topic that has elicited controversy and heated debate. This article picks up at a point beyond the controversy and addresses issues of professionalism and the objective assessment of competency for execution. Specifically, this article identifies professional standards for conducting competence for execution (CFE) evaluations, describes current practices in this area, and provides an interview checklist that can be used as an evaluation guide by involved professionals.     

Personality Assessment Inventory Scores as Predictors of Evaluation Referrals,Evaluator Opinions,and Commitment Decisions in Sexually Violent Predator Cases

We used data from more than 1,500 offenders to examine the association between Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991 Morey, L. C. (1991). Personality Assessment Inventory: Professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources. [Google Scholar]) scores and progress through the sexually violent predator (SVP) screening, evaluation, and commitment process. There was no clear association between PAI scores and referrals for full evaluations, but PAI scores were small to moderate predictors of evaluator opinions and diagnoses among offenders who underwent full evaluations. Higher Antisocial Features (ANT) scores were associated with diagnoses of antisocial personality disorder, but this association was moderated by offender response style. ANT scores were more strongly associated with antisocial personality disorder diagnoses among those responding defensively (d = .71) than among those responding openly (d = .48). The mean ANT score among defensive responders diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder was about 55T, suggesting that even moderate ANT scale elevations could indicate a clinically significant level of antisocial traits among some offenders.     

Jurors Report that Risk Measure Scores Matter in Sexually Violent Predator Trials,but that Other Factors Matter More

After deliberating to a verdict, jurors (N = 462) from 40 sexually violent predator (SVP) trials completed a questionnaire asking them to rate the extent to which risk measure scores, diagnoses, expert witness testimony, and offender characteristics described during the trials influenced their commitment decisions. Jurors reported that offenders' sexual offending history, failure to change, and lack of remorse had the strongest influence on their commitment decisions. They reported that testimony about risk instrument scores (e.g., Static-99) and psychopathy had less influence on their decisions, but those who did report being influenced by instrument results were especially likely to view the offender as being at a high risk for reoffending. Overall, findings suggest that SVP jurors view risk measure results as important, but not as important as other offender, offense, and testimony characteristics, including some that have limited relevance to recidivism risk. Thus, findings also suggest that experts may need to better educate jurors regarding factors that do and do not relate to recidivism risk. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On individual differences in person perception: raters' personality traits relate to their psychopathy checklist-revised scoring tendencies

This study investigated raters' personality traits in relation to scores they assigned to offenders using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). A total of 22 participants, including graduate students and faculty members in clinical psychology programs, completed a PCL-R training session, independently scored four criminal offenders using the PCL-R, and completed a comprehensive measure of their own personality traits. A priori hypotheses specified that raters' personality traits, and their similarity to psychopathy characteristics, would relate to raters' PCL-R scoring tendencies. As hypothesized, some raters assigned consistently higher scores on the PCL-R than others, especially on PCL-R Facets 1 and 2. Also as hypothesized, raters' scoring tendencies related to their own personality traits (e.g., higher rater Agreeableness was associated with lower PCL-R Interpersonal facet scoring). Overall, findings underscore the need for future research to examine the role of evaluator characteristics on evaluation results and the need for clinical training to address evaluators' personality influences on their ostensibly objective evaluations.     

Are Self‐Report Measures of Adaptive Functioning Appropriate for those High in Psychopathic Traits?

There is ongoing debate about the methods that evaluators should use to assess the adaptive functioning of an individual in an Atkins claim, including the appropriateness of using self‐report measures and extent to which adaptive functioning measures are valid for persons with a history of violent offending. This study examined whether offenders' self‐report adaptive functioning scores tended to decrease as their level of psychopathic traits increased. Eighty‐five male felony probationers completed the self‐report version of the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System – II (ABAS‐II: Harrison & Oakland, 2003), the Psychopathic Personality Inventory – Revised (PPI‐R: Lilienfeld & Widows, 2005), and a brief intelligence screening measure. ABAS‐II composite scores were negatively correlated with PPI‐R Self‐Centered Impulsivity and Coldheartedness scores, but positively correlated with Fearless Dominance scores. These relationships appeared to be due, in part, to over‐reporting symptoms of impairment across measures, suggesting that scores on self‐report adaptive functioning measures may be especially susceptible to feigning. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Personality expectations and perceptions of Roman Catholic clergy members

This study examined the expectations of Roman Catholic priests' personality characteristics. Personality measures (i.e., Symptom Check List-90-Revised, Weinberger Adjustment Inventory, Belief in Personal Control Scale, and several authordesigned measures) were administered to 102 undergraduate students. The subjects' perceptions of Roman Catholic priests' personality traits were examined by having the subjects complete the Personality Adjective Checklist (PACL) describing a typical Roman Catholic priest. These scores were compared to PACL scores from 12 successful applicants to the priesthood. Findings suggest that subjects tend to view Roman Catholic priests stereotypically as authority figures and that Catholic subjects view priests more positively than do non-Catholic subjects.     

The Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire

This article introduces the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (SCSORF) and provides preliminary information on the instrument. The SCSORF is a quick, easy to administer and score, 10-item scale assessing strength of religious faith. The SCSORF and personality and mood measures (i.e., Symptom Check List-90-Revised, Weinberger Adjustment Inventory, Belief in Personal Control Scale, and several author-designed questions) were administered to 102 undergraduate students. Preliminary findings suggest that the SCSORF is both reliable and valid. Furthermore, significant correlations between strength of religious faith, self-esteem, interpersonal sensitivity, adaptive coping, and hope correspond with previous research, suggesting that mental health benefits are associated with strong religious faith. Implications for future research are also discussed.     

Does the Convergent Validity of the PAI Antisocial Features Scale Depend on Offender Response Style?

Researchers have recently questioned the utility of the response style indicators included on many self-report measures of personality and psychopathology. We examined whether the size of convergent validity coefficients for Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) Antisocial Features (ANT) scores depends on PAI validity scale scores. Using PAI and Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL–R) scores from 477 offenders evaluated for civil commitment as sexually violent predators, we found that PAI Positive Impression (PIM), Negative Impression (NIM), Malingering Index (MAL), Defensiveness Index (DEF), and Infrequency (INF) scores moderated the association between ANT and PCL–R scores. The association between ANT and PCL–R scores decreased as offenders overstated psychopathology (i.e., higher NIM or MAL scores) or exhibited increasing disengagement (i.e., higher INF scores). However, the association between ANT and PCL–R scores increased as offenders engaged in defensive reporting (i.e., higher PIM or DEF scores). The interaction effects were most common for ANT–E (Egocentricity), and to a lesser extent ANT–A (Antisocial Behaviors). PAI discriminant function validity indexes did not exhibit moderating effects on ANT and PCL–R scores. There was no evidence of validity scale suppression effects. These findings provide support for the potential role of some PAI response style measures for ANT scale interpretation in forensic settings.