Forensic Assessment in the Time of COVID-19: The Colorado Experience in Developing Videoconferencing for Evaluating Adjudicative Competency

ABSTRACT

In this article, we briefly discuss how competency to proceed evaluations are conducted within the state of Colorado, the impact that COVID-19 had on forensic evaluations within the Colorado forensic services system, and the acquisition and adoption of videoconferencing (VC) capabilities. We then shift to an in-depth consideration of how VC forensic evaluations are facilitated in four different contexts for adult defendants in custody, on bond, and in hospitals, and for juvenile defendants. Challenges and limitations are also addressed.