Forensic Navigator
Welcome to Lesson One: What is Competency?
Person-Served
Why do I need to do this?
Forensic Navigator
You have been found not competent to stand trial at this time.
Person-Served
What does that mean for me?
Forensic Navigator
Briefly speaking, this means that you cannot attend to court matters, such as going to trial, until you have been found competent.
Person-Served
How can I be found competent?
Forensic Navigator
There are several things that being competent means you can do right now. Let's go through them.
Forensic Navigator
The first one is being able to talk with your attorney about what happened and doing so in a calm, respectful, and realistic way.
Person-Served
What if I don't want an attorney? Can I represent myself?
Forensic Navigator
While you are ruled incompetent, you are unable to represent yourself.
Person-Served
What if I don't agree with my attorney or like how they are defending me?
Forensic Navigator
You should try to talk with your attorney and work it out. However, If you have a paid defense attorney, you can fire them and hire a new one. If you have a public defender, you will need to reach out to the public defenders office.
Forensic Navigator
The next item is being able to understand the crime(s) you have been charged with.
Person-Served
I didn't do what they said I did.
Forensic Navigator
It's important that you know what the police have said you did and what that means. You don't have to agree with what they said.
Person-Served
Why should I care what the police say I did?
Forensic Navigator
Part of competency is understanding why you are in court as well as understanding the consequences if you are convicted. This understanding will also aid in your ability to make a rational decision.
Forensic Navigator
Additionally, education will be provided over different legal words and what the people in the court room do.
Person-Served
How will this education be provided?
Forensic Navigator
While at the IRTS, you will meet for 1:1 sessions with forensic practitioners and attend a weekly competency-specific group with your peers. The Minnesota Competency Attainment Curriculum Defendant Workbook will be provided. This workbook will be used in groups and 1:1s in addition to supplemental activities.
