Psychological Evaluations for the Courts A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals 4th Edition by Melton et al. (2017)

Psychological Evaluations for the Courts: A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals and Lawyers, Fourth Edition (2017) by Gary B. Melton, John Petrila, Norman G. Poythress, Christopher Slobogin, Randy K. Otto, Douglas Mossman, and Lois O. Condie — published by The Guilford Press — is the leading text and practitioner reference in forensic mental health. Tens of thousands of readers have relied on this revised and updated handbook to understand the issues the legal system most commonly asks mental health professionals to address.

The volume demystifies the forensic psychological assessment process and provides comprehensive guidelines for participating effectively and ethically in legal proceedings. Presented are clinical and legal concepts and evidence-based assessment procedures pertaining to criminal and civil competencies, the insanity defense and related doctrines, sentencing, civil commitment, personal injury claims, antidiscrimination laws, child custody, juvenile justice, and other justice-related areas.

Case examples, exercises, and a glossary facilitate learning, and 19 sample reports illustrate how to conduct and write up thorough, legally admissible evaluations.

New to the fourth edition: extensively revised to reflect important legal, empirical, and clinical developments; increased attention to medical and neuroscientific research; new protocols relevant to competence, risk assessment, child custody, and mental injury evaluations; expanded coverage of immigration, juvenile transfer, and risk for sexual offending; and updated discussion of the role of expert witnesses, ethics, and emerging issues in forensic assessment.

Topics covered: the relationship of mental health and the law; ethical and professional issues in forensic practice; the assessment process and report writing; competence to stand trial and competence to confess; mental state at the time of the offense and the insanity defense; sentencing evaluations and risk assessment; civil commitment; capacities to consent and refuse treatment; testamentary capacity; personal injury and emotional damages claims; child custody, parental fitness, and termination of parental rights; abuse and neglect; juvenile court evaluations including transfer to adult court and amenability to treatment; and expert testimony.

Essential for: forensic psychologists and psychiatrists; clinical psychologists conducting forensic assessments; psychology and psychiatry trainees pursuing forensic specialization; ABPP-Forensic Board certification candidates; attorneys working with mental health experts; judges and law enforcement professionals seeking to understand forensic mental health; graduate programs in forensic psychology; and continuing education for licensed clinicians.