The Tulsa County, Okla., boy’s relationship with family was one of instability, impoverishment and abuse.
Psychologists would later determine that he was mentally ill and very immature, even for 12. But his alleged crime was serious — felony assault with a dangerous weapon on a family member who had abused him.
The juvenile court ruled the boy delinquent, which led to a one-year stay in a youth group home. He would eventually improve, but early on “his immaturity, mental illness, and traumatic history led to difficulties and an inpatient placement” in a mental health facility, said Dr. Ryan Jones, chief psychologist at the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs. He did not identify the boy.
That case, which occurred within the last two years, might have unfolded differently had the boy been brought to court in any other state. Oklahoma is the only state in the nation that does not allow juvenile courts to issue determinations on whether youths in delinquency cases are competent enough to go through court proceedings.
Competency means a person has the mental capacity to understand court proceedings and assist an attorney in preparing a defense.
“Every other state in the union has juvenile competency. Oklahoma stands alone,” said Ben Brown, public defender at Oklahoma County’s juvenile division.
[For more of this story, written by Clifton Adcock, go to http://jjie.org/oklahoma-sees-...ncy-hearings/107703/]
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