Fitness for interview: current trends, views and an approach to the assessment procedure

The medical assessment of a person's fitness to be interviewed by police is undertaken to determine the detainee's competence at interview. A review of this procedure in Victoria was conducted on all cases during the period 1 January 30 June 1997. One hundred and fifty-one cases were assessed. The majority of cases were in the 20-39 years age range with 81.5% of all cases being male. The principal reasons for assessment were concerns about the effects of drugs excluding alcohol (21.9%), and psychiatric issues (25.8%). Following assessment, 47% were considered to be fit for interview but in 14% of these cases an independent third person was recommended. Thirty-five per cent were assessed as being unfit for interview and 58.6% of these were referred for further assessment. Rarely (4.6%) in these cases and those referred for treatment elsewhere were reviews arranged prior to the interview. Despite the significant dependence of the prosecution on confessional evidence, in only 4% of cases was the matter eventually raised in court. The findings indicate that there is a need to ensure that practitioners are appropriately trained in the assessment of drug-affected and psychiatric patients. New guidelines for the assessment are presented which may assist in reducing the degree of subjectivity and opinion variability.