This book offers a conceptual model for understanding the nature of legal competencies. The model is interpreted to assist mental health professionals in designing and performing assessments for legal competencies defined in criminal and civil law, and to guide research that will improve the practice of evaluations for legal competencies. A special feature is the book's evaluative review of specialized forensic assessment instruments for each of several legal competencies. Three-fourths of the 37 instruments reviewed in this second edition are new.

Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) has grown into a specialization informed by research and professional guidelines. This series presents up-to-date information on the most important and frequently conducted forms of FMHA. The 19 topical volumes address best approaches to practice for particular types of evaluation in the criminal, civil, and juvenile/family areas. Each volume contains a thorough discussion of the relevant legal and psychological concepts, followed by a step-by-step description of the assessment process from preparing for the evaluation to writing the report and testifying in court. Volumes include the following helpful features: - Boxes that zero in on important information for use in evaluations - Tips for best practice and cautions against common pitfalls - Highlighting of relevant case law and statutes - Separate list of assessment tools for easy reference - Helpful glossary of key terms for the particular topic In making recommendations for best practice, authors consider empirical support, legal relevance, and consistency with ethical and professional standards. These volumes offer invaluable guidance for anyone involved in conducting or using forensic evaluations.

Over 350 entries provide an authoritative & comprehensive A-Z list of topics in psychology and law, including criminal behaviour and treatment, juvenile offenders, eyewitness memory, forensic assessment and diagnosis, and trial processes.

Written by authors with extensive experience in the field and in the classroom, Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Research and Application, Sixth Edition demonstrates how to analyze psychological knowledge and research findings and apply these findings to the civil and criminal justice systems. Focusing on research-based forensic practice and practical application, the authors use real-life examples and case law discussions to define and explore forensic psychology. Students are introduced to emerging specializations within forensic psychology, including investigative psychology, family forensic psychology, and police and public safety psychology. Research related to bias, diversity, and discrimination is included throughout the text to give students a multicultural perspective that is critical to the successful practice of forensic psychology. Included with this title: Instructor Online Resources: Access online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site.

A great number of incarcerated youth have diagnosable psychiatric problems and, while in detention, this population experiences events that make them more vulnerable to disorders of mental health. This issue of Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics is edited and authored by psychiatrists expert in working with youth in detention. Topics include Demographics of youth in detention; Mental health screening and assessment; Mental health care of detained youth and solitary confinement and restraint within juvenile detention facilities; Civil and constitutional rights of adjudicated youth; Community based alternatives to incarceration and assessment and community based planning for probation/community based alternatives; The role of the child and adolescent psychiatrist in the adjudicatory assessments; Screening and assessment of detained youth; Quality of education for youth in the juvenile detention system; Variety of out-of-home placements for juvenile offenders; Juvenile sexual offenders; Sexual exploitation of children in detention; Transfer from juvenile to adult court: Which states have the most effective models? ; Competence to stand trial; Firesetting. Clinical vignettes are presented with each topic to exemplify a case of the discussion.

Clear and accessible in style, this book offers a comprehensive introduction to criminal justice and forensic mental health and the ways in which they intersect. Assuming no prior exposure to the field of criminal forensic psychology, the book reviews ten areas where mental health professionals contribute regularly to the due process of law: comprehension of rights, competency to stand trial, transfer of juveniles to adult court, risk assessment, mitigation, sentencing, sexually violent predators, insanity, and capital punishment of persons with mental illness and with intellectual disability. The book also explores the major categories of mental disorders, how they contribute to criminal behavior, and what problems they present in courts and corrections. Landmark cases from the United States and United Kingdom are also reviewed in detail to develop a thorough understanding of the court’s decision-making process. Bridging the gap between abstraction and practice through its narrative presentation of case material, emphasis on controversy, and illumination of the historical roots of problems and ideas, the book helps the forensic practitioner transition from novice to knowledgeable professional in the courtroom. Drawing on the author’s extensive experience in forensic psychology, this book is the ideal resource for the early-career forensic mental health practitioner, as well as graduate students in forensic mental health and forensic psychology, and mental health professionals seeking to enter the field of forensics.

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.

This rigorous yet reader-friendly book reviews the state of the science on a broad range of psychological issues commonly encountered in the forensic context. The goal is to help professionals and students differentiate between supported and unsupported psychological techniques--and steer clear of those that may be misleading or legally inadmissible. Leading contributors focus on controversial issues surrounding recovered memories, projective techniques, lie detection, child witnesses, offender rehabilitation, psychopathy, violence risk assessment, and more. With a focus on real-world legal situations, the book offers guidelines for presenting scientific evidence accurately and effectively in courtroom testimony and written reports.

"Recommended. Undergraduates through faculty/researchers; professionals/practitioners;general readers." —Choice Includes well over 500 A-Z entries of between 500 and 7,500 words in length covering the main topics, key concepts, and influential figures in the field of clinical psychology Serves as a comprehensive reference with emphasis on philosophical and historical issues, cultural considerations, and conflicts Offers a historiographical overview of the ways in which research influences practice Cites the best and most up-to-date scientific evidence for each topic, encouraging readers to think critically 5 Volumes www.encyclopediaclinicalpsychology.com