Fitness evaluations: A retrospective study of clinical, criminal, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Abstract
A retrospective study of 470 patients remanded for fitness-to-stand-trial evaluations was conducted, examining diagnostic judgments, MMPI data, and criminal and sociodemographic variables. Fitness opinions rendered to the court by a pool of 10 staff psychiatrists constituted the dependent variable under investigation. Results of univariate analyses demonstrated differences between fit and unfit subjects on the basis of race, age, primary diagnosis, and history of substances abuse. Findings from stepwise discriminant analyses reviewed that sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., race, age, and sex) could predict fitness with 71% accuracy. These results are discussed with respect to the current assessment practices and the potential bias in clinical judgments of fitness to stand trial.

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