This book focuses on the importance of using a brain-behavior relationship framework for the successful use of neuropsychological evaluations for courtroom purposes. It stresses the need to understand the offender as a unique individual assessed accordingly from cognitive and personality perspectives. The desired goal is to reach a more nuanced evaluation rather than a compilation of test scores. This book clearly explains the circumstances that prevent proper testing including batteries that are confusing or frustrating to the person being tested or those that cause fatigue thus interfering with an appropriate picture of cognitive, motor and sensory skills. Irrelevance of some tests for addressing the reason for referral is also covered as is the importance of setting and adequate time for evaluation. When dealing with court cases involving the violent offender the evaluation is critical to the establishment of the factors that motivated the crime. In most cases the issue is not insanity but rather an understanding for legal purposes of the cognitive and emotional processes that explain how a crime occurred. This book provides a concise overview of the issues involved and how to provide the best scientific information to satisfy the pursuit of justice.

Today's increasingly sophisticated psychological and neuropsychological assessments allow for a greater understanding, and improved evaluations, in forensic psychology. By integrating discussions of modern psychological and neuropsychological tests, with extant civil and criminal cases, Forensic Psychology and Neuropsychology for Criminal and Civil Cases, Second Edition serves as a fully-updated, professional resource outlining modern behavioral science’s impact on the legal system. This second edition synthesizes the theoretical, empirical, and clinical literature, examining it through the lens of case application. The book is divided into three parts to look at foundational legal, ethical and applied issues; criminal forensic evaluations; and civil forensic evaluations. Chapters new to this edition address substance abuse and intoxication, interviewing and interrogation, criminal profiling, faked amnesia and recall skills, post-concussive syndrome (PCS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and trends and research directions. Clinicians, researchers and psychologists practicing in any number of related fields will be able to address relevant questions from both criminal-forensic and civil-forensic perspectives. Key features: Presents the latest advances in methodology and technology to assist forensic professional in assessment and case formulation in the search for ground truth in applied settings Outlines base rates for forensic areas of concern, especially helpful in evaluation, report writing and courtroom testimony as an expert witness Addresses complex criminal issues such as competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, mitigating defenses, and violence risk Forensic Psychology and Neuropsychology for Criminal and Civil Cases, Second Edition is an invaluable resource to clinicians, experts witnesses, and legal professionals—a helpful adjunct for mental health experts to formulate sound direct and cross-examination strategies, and eliciting suggestions for forensically-related treatment and intervention.

Explores how the explosion of neuroscience-based evidence in recent years has led to a fundamental change in how forensic psychology can inform working with criminal populations. This book communicates knowledge and research findings in the neurobiological field to those who work with offenders and those who design policy for offender rehabilitation and criminal justice systems, so that practice and policy can be neurobiologically informed, and research can be enhanced. Starting with an introduction to the subject of neuroscience and forensic settings, The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Forensic Neuroscience then offers in-depth and enlightening coverage of the neurobiology of sex and sexual attraction, aggressive behavior, and emotion regulation; the neurobiological bases to risk factors for offending such as genetics, developmental, alcohol and drugs, and mental disorders; and the neurobiology of offending, including psychopathy, antisocial personality disorders, and violent and sexual offending. The book also covers rehabilitation techniques such as brain scanning, brain-based therapy for adolescents, and compassion-focused therapy. The book itself: Covers a wide array of neuroscience research Chapters by renowned neuroscientists and criminal justice experts Topics covered include the neurobiology of aggressive behavior, the neuroscience of deception, genetic contributions to psychopathy, and neuroimaging-guided treatment Offers conclusions for practitioners and future directions for the field. The Handbook of Forensic Neuroscience is a welcome book for all researchers, practitioners, and postgraduate students involved with forensic psychology, neuroscience, law, and criminology.

Answers to many legal questions often depend on our understanding of the relationship between the human brain and behavior. While there is no evidence to suggest that violence is the sole result of cognitive impairment, research does suggest that frontal lobe impairment in particular may contribute to the etiology of violent behavior.Murder in the Courtroom presents a comprehensive and detailed analysis of issues most relevant to answering questions regarding the link between cognitive functioning and violence. It is the first book to focus exclusively on the etiology and assessment of cognitive impairment in the context of violent behavior and the challenges courts face in determining the reliability of neuroscience evidence; provide objective discussions of currently available neuropsychological tests and neuroimaging techniques, and their strengths and limitations; provide a methodology for the assessment of cognitive dysfunction in the context of violent behavior that is likely to withstand a Daubert challenge; and include detailed discussions of criminal cases to illustrate important points. Clinical and forensic psychologists and psychiatrists, cognitive neuroscientists, and legal professionals will be able to use this book to further their understanding of the relationship between brain function and extreme violence.

The past quarter-century has witnessed a dramatic upsurge of violent crime in the United States and abroad. In this country, the rise in violent criminal activity has been consistently documented in such published accounts as the Uniform Crime Reports and the Statistical Handbook on Violence in America, published by the FBI and the Vio lence Research Group, respectively. Further, social scientists-particularly those working in the fields of sociology and psychology-have provided a convergence of findings attesting to the magnitude of one of today's most significant social problems: domestic violence (e. g. , spouse, child, and elder abuse). Such efforts have served as the impetus for heightened clinical and investigative activity in the area of violent be havior. Indeed, a wide range of mental health experts (such as psychologists, psychi atrists, social workers, counselors, and rehabilitation specialists) have endeavored to focus on strategies and issues in research and treatment for violent individuals and their victims. The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive and timely examination of current psychological approaches with violent criminal offenders. Despite the fact that we continue to have much to learn about perpetrators of violent acts, in recent an increasingly large body of empirical data have been adduced about this years issue. However, these data generally have appeared in disparate journals and books. That being the case, it is our belief that such a handbook now is warranted.

Extraordinarily comprehensive in both historical beginnings and modern-day practice, Dr. Robert Sadoff's The Evolution of Forensic Psychiatry features prominent leaders and researchers in the field who continue to have the greatest influence on the growth of forensic psychiatry.

Forensic Criminology gives students of criminology and criminal justice an introduction to the forensic realm and the applied forensic issues they will face when working cases within the justice system. It effectively bridges the theoretical world of social criminology with the applied world of the criminal justice system. While most of the competing textbooks on criminology adequately address the application and the social theory to the criminal justice system, the vast majority do not include casework or real-world issues that criminologists face. This book focuses on navigating casework in forensic contexts by case-working criminologists, rather than broad social theory. It also allows criminology/criminal justice instructors outside of the forensic sciences the ability to develop and instruct a core course that might otherwise be considered beyond their expertise, or in conflict with forensic courses taught in chemistry, biology, or medical programs at their institutions because of its focus on criminology and criminal justice careers. With its practical approach, this textbook is well-suited for forensic criminology subjects being taught and developed in law, criminology, and criminal justice programs around the world. - Approaches the study of criminology from an applied standpoint, moving away from the purely theoretical - Contains relevant and contemporary case examples to demonstrate the application of forensic criminology - Provides an integrated philosophy with respect to criminology, forensic casework, criminal investigations, and the law - Useful for students and professionals in the area of criminology, criminal justice, criminal investigation, forensic science, and the law

Greater Understanding, Better Evaluations Today's increasingly sophisticated psychological and neuropsychological assessments allow for greater understanding and evaluations in forensic psychology. By integrating discussions of modern psychological and neuropsychological tests with extant civil and criminal cases, this book presents a uni

George B. Palermo is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin; Adjunct Professor of Criminology and Law Studies, Department of Cultural and Social Sciences, Marquette University; Director, Center for Forensic Psychiatry and Risk Assessment, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Neuropsychologists are frequently asked to serve as experts for court cases where judgments must be made as to the cause of, and prognosis for, brain diseases and injuries, as well as the impact of brain dysfunction on legal competencies and responsibilities. This fully-updated second edition describes the application of neuropsychology to legal issues in both the civil and criminal courts. The book emphasizes the scientific basis of neuropsychology, as well as using a scientific approach in addressing forensic questions. All of the contributors are recognized experts in their fields, and the chapters cover common forensic issues such as appropriate scientific reasoning, the assessment of malingering, productive attorney-neuropsychologist interactions, admissibility of neuropsychological evidence, and ethics. Also covered are functional neuroimaging in forensic neuropsychology and the determination of damages in personal injury litigation, including pediatric brain injury (traumatic injury and perinatal birth injury), mild, moderate, and severe traumatic brain injury in adults, neurotoxic injury, chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and assessment of medically unexplained symptoms. Civil competencies in elderly persons with dementia are addressed in a separate chapter, and two chapters deal with the assessment of competency and responsibility in criminal forensic neuropsychology. The book closes with a perspective on trends in forensic practice and research. Like the previous edition, this new volume is an invaluable resource for neuropsychologists, attorneys, neurologists, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and their students and trainees.