Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists are increasingly asked to provide expertise to courts and attorneys in the criminal justice system. To do so effectively, they must stay abreast of important advances in the understanding of legal standards as well as new developments in sophisticated measures and the methods for their assessment. Fundamentals of Forensic Practice is designed to address the critical issues that are faced by mental health experts in their role of conducting assessments, presenting findings, and preparing for challenges to admissibility and credibility. Uniquely practical and comprehensive, this volume operationalizes legal standards and describes empirically validated methods for their evaluation. Not only is this essential for mental health professionals, but it is equally valuable to criminal attorneys. Lawyers require both clinical knowledge and understanding of legal standards in order to prepare their own experts and to challenge those on the opposing side. For both clinical and legal experts Fundamentals of Forensic Practice offers a full view of all phases of criminal proceedings: - Pretrial—diversion, determinations of bail, waivers of Miranda rights, and the capacity to consent to searches. - Trial—competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility. Beyond insanity, the latter addresses mens rea, automatism, and psychological context evidence, such as battered-woman syndrome. - Post-trial—sentencing, capital sentencing, competency to be executed, and other post-conviction issues. Other key features include: - Chapters on specific criminal issues in a consistent format, with comprehensive coverage of legal standards and relevant clinical methods - Guidelines for conducting more effective forensic evaluations - In-depth coverage of specialized assessments, eg. malingering, sexual predator cases, and the insanity defense. - A detailed overview of direct and cross-examination strategies This book is the second collaboration between Rogers and Shuman. As individual authors, each received the American Psychiatric Association’s prestigious Guttmacher Award for their outstanding contributions to forensic psychiatry.

In recent years, forensic neuropsychology has become a practice area of explosive growth and interest. This text elucidates the practice of forensic neuropsychology for those who need to understand the scope and limitations of this field. Fifteen chapters by neuropsychology and legal experts organized into four sections (Fundamentals, Practice Expertise, Relevant Populations, and Parameters of the Legal Arena) convey authoritatively a breadth of relevant information and the state-of-the-art of forensic neuropsychology. Topic coverage includes essential psychometrics, evaluation of premorbid function, personality and emotional functioning, complexities of executive functions, variables affecting decision-making, clinical and scientific foundations of the neuropsychological evaluation, differential diagnosis, malingering, ecological validity, mild traumatic brain injury, neurotoxin-related encephalopathy, special pediatric issues. Forensic Neuropsychology will be useful for: practicing clinical neuropsychologists and those in advanced training, plaintiff and defense attorneys whose practices include brain injured individuals, and other health care providers in non-psychology disciplines (e.g., psychiatry, neurology) who are providing expert opinions in litigated brain injury cases, and in doing so use and interact with opinions of neuropsychologists.

This book covers the basic science and neurobiology of violence and integrates this with clinical, legal, and ethical aspects of forensic psychiatry. Unique text which integrates the basic sciences, clinical, legal, and ethical aspects Highly illustrated. Numerous colour images in the basic sciences section further explain the text Succinct yet comprehensive coverage for instant access to the information The book is designed for postgraduate trainees in psychiatry wishing to specialise in forensic psychiatry, specialists in forensic psychiatry, mental health, criminal lawyers, and forensic psychologists. It will be an invaluable reference work for clinical psychologists, criminologists, sociologists, and other professionals working with forensic psychiatric patients such as members of the probation service, social workers, and nursing staff.

"In teaching forensic report writing to graduate students, we have been impressed with the available guides to writing specific kinds of reports. There are also some good summary articles on report writing and check-lists regarding what reports ought to cover. What we wanted, though, was a single volume that looked at report writing and reading as behaviors, informed by what we know about behavior, and that looked in-depth at the topic of applying general knowledge to particular situations. As is true for so many authors, this is the book we wish we'd read in graduate school. We offer these principles of forensic report writing as preparation for trainees, particularly those in Stages 1-3 of the developmental scheme described here, and also as reminders for professionals who have already written many reports"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

An essential foundation for the practice of forensic anthropology This text is the first of its level written in more than twenty years. It serves as a summary and guide to the core material that needs to be mastered and evaluated for the practice of forensic anthropology. The text is divided into three parts that collectively provide a solid base in theory and methodology: Part One, "Background Setting for Forensic Anthropology," introduces the field and discusses the role of forensic anthropology in historic context. Part Two, "Towards Personal Identification," discusses initial assessments of skeletal remains; determining sex, age, ancestral background, and stature; and skeletal markers of activity and life history. Part Three, "Principal Anthropological Roles in Medical-Legal Investigation," examines trauma; the postmortem period; professionalism, ethics, and the expert witness; and genetics and DNA. The critical and evaluative approach to the primary literature stresses the inherent biological constraints on degrees of precision and certainty, and cautions about potential pitfalls. The practical focus, coupled with theoretical basics, make Fundamentals of Forensic Anthropology ideal for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in biological anthropology as well as forensic scientists in allied fields of medical-legal investigation.

Fundamentals of Forensic Science, Second Edition, provides an introduction to the basic principles of forensic science. The book begins at a crime scene and ends in the courtroom.The book is divided into six parts. Part 1 provides an overview of criminal justice and forensic science, covering the basics of crime scene investigation and the nature of evidence. Part 2 discusses analytical tools, including microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, atomic spectroscopy, and separation methods. Parts 3 to 5 discuss the various types of forensic evidence collected, categorized by the types of science employed in their analysis: physical science, chemical science, and biological science. These include pathology; anthropology and odontology; entomology; serology and bloodstain pattern analysis; DNA analysis; forensic hair examinations; forensic toxicology; fiber and paint analysis; friction ridge examination; and firearms and tool marks. Part 6 discusses the legal aspects of forensic science. The book is written for students with a background in basic science, and it is can be used in a one-semester or two-semester format. Vivid, full-color illustrations that diagram key concepts and depict evidence encountered in the field Straightforward unit organization that includes key terms, numerous feature boxes emphasizing Internet resources, historical events in forensic science, practical issues in laboratory analysis, and topics for further reading Effective pedagogy, including end-of-chapter questions, paired with a clear writing style makes this an invaluable resource for professors and students of forensic science

Expanding on ideas proposed by leading thinkers throughout the history of forensic science, Principles and Practice of Criminalistics: The Profession of Forensic Science outlines a logical framework for the examination of physical evidence in a criminalistics laboratory. The book reexamines prevailing criminalistics concepts in light of both techni