This remarkable book affords the opportunity to delve into the challenges that the forensic mental health specialist and public safety professional confront in death scene investigations.

Shneidman (U. of California at Los Angeles) examines the case of an individual suicide, bringing together interviews with his family and friends, involved professionals, and "consultations" with other psychiatrists specializing in suicide in order to conduct a post-mortem "autopsy" of the psychological state that led to the young man's death

With recent studies using genetic, epigenetic, and other molecular and neurochemical approaches, a new era has begun in understanding pathophysiology of suicide. Emerging evidence suggests that neurobiological factors are not only critical in providing potential risk factors but also provide a promising approach to develop more effective treatment and prevention strategies. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide discusses the most recent findings in suicide neurobiology. Psychological, psychosocial, and cultural factors are important in determining the risk factors for suicide; however, they offer weak prediction and can be of little clinical use. Interestingly, cognitive characteristics are different among depressed suicidal and depressed nonsuicidal subjects, and could be involved in the development of suicidal behavior. The characterization of the neurobiological basis of suicide is in delineating the risk factors associated with suicide. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide focuses on how and why these neurobiological factors are crucial in the pathogenic mechanisms of suicidal behavior and how these findings can be transformed into potential therapeutic applications.

The Psychology of Death Investigations outlines definitively how behavioral evidence can often provide the necessary components and "missing pieces" to complement physical evidence as an essential tool for incident reconstruction. In order to determine the direction of an investigation and to prioritize leads, if necessary, death investigators must establish the manner of a death: natural, accident, homicide or suicide. The most overlooked aspect of death investigation is the psychological dimension, which can provide unique leads, correct false assumptions, enhance investigative awareness, and solve cases in surprising ways. In an estimated 10–20% of cases, the manner of death cannot be determined, or worse, has been erroneously categorized. Since many jurisdictions can’t afford behavioral consultants, this book has been written to provide practical information for a basic psychological analysis. If the circumstances surrounding a death are equivocal, psychological consultants can compile information retrospectively about a deceased person’s mental state and possible motive to assist with unravelling ambiguity about the manner of death. This is the primary function of a psychological autopsy, and, as such, this is the first book of its kind dedicated solely to the topic. In the event that the manner of death is determined to be a homicide, behavioral profiling can help to focus the potential pool of suspects. Professionals and students alike will benefit from the exercise of cognitive awareness and the application of psychological logic presented. Psychologists, medical examiners, coroners, attorneys, fraud examiners, law enforcement personnel, death and homicide investigators, and students enrolled in criminal profiling, forensic psychology, and criminal justice programs will find this text to be a compelling and insightful reference to add to their professional toolkit.

William J. Ronan, a licensed independent clinical social worker, examines the facts of Elvis Presley 's journey on Earth to reveal the truths of the legendary rocker 's life and the root causes of his death in Psychological Autopsy of Elvis Presley, subtitled The Elvis Analysis: The Role of Suggestion in the Etiology of Psychosomatic Disorders. No one can escape the legacy of Elvis celebrity, but Ronan uses the full resources of his profession to forge beyond the well-known facts and the irrepressible hype. Ronan presents a set of psychological circumstances of Elvis death self-image, relationships, the death of his mother and twin brother, and his own morbid feelings before he died. The author relates these circumstances to several case studies and adds layers of analysis from hypnotherapy, traditional psychology, and biomedical ethics. In so doing, Ronan forces the reader to consider the sheer psychological force that core beliefs play in creating and re-creating lives, and in dooming others to an early end. The book is a journey fueled by facts and original thinking that lead the reader to unexpected revelations.

Sociologists have debated suicide since the early days of the discipline. This book assesses that body of work and breaks new ground through a qualitatively-driven, mixed method 'sociological autopsy' ofone hundredsuicides that explores what can be known about suicidal lives.

Originally published in Spanish in 2017 by Libreria Bosch, Barcelona, the Atlas of Forensic and Criminal Psychology is a one-of-kind book made available in English for the first time. This unique work is highly illustrated with full-color images, providing a medico-legal examination of forensic pathology as it relates to cases of forensic psychological interest. The book begins with a historical perspective and includes images of patients to familiarize the reader with symptoms, the hazard-risk criteria, lethality, and suicidal rescue—research that Dr. Tiffon has addressed in his previous publications. Chapters present photographic records of cases to deepen forensic, psychologist, and medico-legal professionals’ insight into thoughts, behaviors, and mechanisms of self- and hetero-aggressiveness. Such cases illustrate the outcomes of various disorders manifested in individuals and victims; as such, they provide an understanding of the psychological-legal conclusions reached in such cases in order to adapt the legal and preventative measures for specific situations. Coverage includes affective, schizophrenic, and personality disorders as contributing elements in diagnostic judgments, noting the great difficulty such examples present to experts performing psychopathological evaluations after criminal, and often violent, events have occurred. Various psychopathological disorders are addressed as well as the technical treatment that should occur in each case from a psychological-forensic perspective. Features: • Presents a provocative look at various syndromes familiar to forensic psychologists, as applied to criminal cases and the pathology of suicide victims and homicide perpetrators • Combines the work of world-renowned expert contributors to examine the criminal, legal, and psychological facets of various diagnoses and case examples • Offers insight into the psychological state of suicide victims, considering their state of mind as a "psychological autopsy" In his previous books published in Spanish, Manual of Consulting in Psychology and Clinical, Legal, Legal, Criminal, and Forensic Psychopathology (2008), Manual of Professional Performance in Clinical, Criminal, and Forensic Psychopathology (2009), and the 4-volume Practical Criminological Atlas of Forensic Psychometry (2019-2020), Tiffon approached forensic psychology and psychopathology from a theoretical perspective. In the Atlas of Forensic and Criminal Psychology, his first book translated into English, Tiffon expands on these prior works, serving to provide a visual reference and guide to medical pathologists and consulting psychologists in cases of disorders in which psychopathological mutilation, injury, and self-injury occur.