IQ Scores ShouldNot Be Adjusted forthe Flynn Effect in CapitalPunishment Cases

摘要

Atkins v. Virginia (2002) dramatically raised the stakes for mental retardation in capital punishmentcases, but neither defined this condition nor imposed uniform standards for its assessment. Thebasic premise that mean IQ scores shift over time enjoys wide recognition, but its application-including the appropriateness of characterizing it in terms of an allegedly predictable "Flynn effect"-is frequently debated in the course of death penalty litigation. The scientifically and ethically soundapproach to this issue is to report IQ scores as obtained and be prepared to address those factorsthat might affect their reliability. Altering the IQ scores themselves is insufficiently supported byprofessional literature, legal authority, or prevailing standards of practice.