This book is essential reading for students and professionals in the fields of mental health, criminal justice, and law, as well as for forensic practitioners who may not be familiar with the special requirements of death penalty cases. It is also an important resource for attorneys who work with forensic mental health professionals.
This text provides an essential road map to forensic mental health assessments in death penalty cases for students and practitioners. The book integrates research with best practice recommendations, yielding a solid foundation of information related to capital punishment, death penalty litigation, and more.
Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) continues to develop and expand as a specialization. Since the publication of the First Edition of Forensic Mental Health Assessment: A Casebook over a decade ago, there have been a number of significant changes in the applicable law, ethics, science, and practice that have shaped the conceptual and empirical underpinnings of FMHA. The Second Edition of Forensic Mental Health Assessment is thoroughly updated in light of the developments and changes in the field, while still keeping the unique structure of presenting cases, detailed reports, and specific teaching points on a wide range of topics. Unlike anything else in the literature, it provides genuine (although disguised) case material, so trainees as well as legal and mental health professionals can review how high-quality forensic evaluation reports are written; it features contributions from leading experts in forensic psychology and psychiatry, providing samples of work in their particular areas of specialization; and it discusses case material in the larger context of broad foundational principles and specific teaching points, making it a valuable resource for teaching, training, and continuing education. Now featuring 50 real-world cases, this new edition covers topics including criminal responsibility, sexual offending risk evaluation, federal sentencing, capital sentencing, capacity to consent to treatment, personal injury, harassment and discrimination, guardianship, juvenile commitment, transfer and decertification, response style, expert testimony, evaluations in a military context, and many more. It will be invaluable for anyone involved in assessments for the courts, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and attorneys, as well as for FMHA courses.
Most professional forensic literature addresses the assessment of adults yet neglects the necessary differences that arise when working with minors. Forensic Mental Health Assessment of Children presents the reader with essential knowledge and practical suggestions regarding the forensic assessment of minors involved in a variety of legal applications. Methods of evaluation are described by leading experts regarding topics frequently encountered and of great importance to the courts including: -Physical and sexual child abuse -Domestic violence -Child custody in divorce proceedings -Risk assesment for violence -Potential for rehabilitation in juvenile court cases -Special education -Childhood development and trauma as mitigating circumstances in death penalty cases In addition to reviewing a broad spectrum of topics, methods of evaluation, and the application of specific tests, chapters also address forensic assessment matters such as ethical issues, professional liability, and cultural considerations. This comprehensive resource will be indispensable to mental health practitioners and legal professionals, and of great interest to researchers and students.
This volume provides essential knowledge and practical suggestions for conducting forensic mental health evaluations of children and adolescents. A wide range of assessment problems are described, along with discussions about measurement techniques and forensic issues related to minors.
The first handbook to explore forensic assessment from psychiatric and psychological perspectives "The editors have assembled a magnificent collaboration between psychiatrists and psychologists to bring forth critical knowledge and insight to the core competency of forensic assessment. This handbook is essential reading and a comprehensive resource for both newly minted and seasoned forensic practitioners." —Robert I. Simon, MD, Director, Program in Psychiatry and Law, Georgetown University School of Medicine "This long-awaited resource blows the dust off traditional standards, shakes the cobwebs out of our old ways of thinking, and shows the practical steps in producing work that will make sense to juries and withstand the most skillful cross-examination. . . . [T]here is no better resource." —Kenneth S. Pope, PhD, ABPP, Diplomate in Clinical Psychology; coauthor, Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, Fourth Edition "From preparation to collection to interpretation to communication of the results, this excellent, comprehensive treasure shows how to conduct forensic assessments. Each splendid evidence-based chapter is presented from the collaboration between psychologists and psychiatrists. It is a must-have resource for forensic experts as well as general practitioners or anyone wishing to understand standard of care in forensic assessment." —Melba Vasquez, PhD, ABPP, 2011 American Psychological Association President The practitioner-oriented coverage in the Handbook of Forensic Assessment examines: The current state of psychology and psychiatry—including requisite clinical competencies, ethical guidelines, and considerations of multidisciplinary collaboration Various approaches to assessments in criminal and civil matters The principles of effective preparation, data collection, and interpretation, as well as communication for each special situation Topics including competence to stand trial, sexual offender evaluations, addictions, child abuse, and education Overarching practice issues, such as practice development, retention, compensation, consultation, and forensic treatment Includes sample reports that demonstrate the integrative potential of both psychology and psychiatry Incorporating a wealth of current and multidisciplinary research, the Handbook of Forensic Assessment is destined to become every mental health professional's most valuable one-stop reference for their forensic work.
Listening to Killers offers an inside look at twenty years' worth of murder files from Dr. James Garbarino, a leading expert psychological witness who listens to killers so that he can testify in court. The author offers detailed accounts of how killers travel a path that leads from childhood innocence to lethal violence in adolescence or adulthood. He places the emotional and moral damage of each individual killer within a larger scientific framework of social, psychological, anthropological, and biological research on human development. By linking individual cases to broad social and cultural issues and illustrating the social toxicity and unresolved trauma that drive some people to kill, Dr. Garbarino highlights the humanity we share with killers and the role of understanding and empathy in breaking the cycle of violence.
Forensic Assessment of Violence Risk: A Guide for Risk Assessment and Risk Management provides both a summary of research to date and an integrated model for mental health professionals conducting risk assessments, one of the most high-stakes evaluations forensic mental health professionals perform.
