Learning Forensic Assessment: International Perspectives on Forensic Mental Health

This comprehensively edited text is designed for forensic psychologists and students of forensic psychology. The chapters are all authored by respected academic forensic psychologists, some with law degrees. Although the book focuses primarily on conducting psychological assessments in civil and criminal cases, legal topics common to forensic psychology and forensic psychiatry are examined throughout.

Rebecca Jackson divided the book's contents into professional and practice subject matter. Part I contains three chapters on training, reviewing forensic literature, and ethics in forensic training and practice. Jackson dedicates the second part of the book to forensic psychological evaluations of adults. Discussions about adjudicative competency, evaluations for civil commitment of sex offenders, competency to be executed, and violence risk assessments are included, along with a chapter entitled “Insanity Evaluations.”

Part III involves assessments of youth in the juvenile justice system and primarily focuses on delinquent youth. The chapter reviews juvenile competency, transferring juveniles to criminal court, adolescent psychopathy, and risk assessment for violence in adolescents.

The fourth part of the book describes civil forensic assessments, which include child custody, disability, personal injury, and civil commitment evaluations. The final section is on communicating findings through report writing and testifying in court.

The chapters are well written, well edited, comprehensive, and have numerous appropriate citations. This is a very fine book for the beginning forensic psychologist and a refresher course for the practicing forensic psychologist.

The book also is a helpful resource for forensic psychiatrists. We work closely with forensic psychologists and must know the bases of forensic psychological assessment, report writing, and testimony. Forensic psychiatrists also should be aware of the boundaries of forensic psychological practice, in an effort to promote the collaborative process. Too often, there is a demonstrable split between the two professions that need not occur. Working together helps attorneys in criminal and civil cases, and is much more effective and comprehensive than a single professional assessment. I count on my forensic psychologist colleagues to complement my evaluation and to assist significantly with developing personality dynamics through forensic psychological testing and by examining evaluees to determine the presence and extent of organic brain damage, especially in serious criminal matters and personal injury cases.

From the standpoint of broadening the education of forensic psychiatrists to incorporate the teachings, experiences, and clinical expertise of the forensic psychologist, this book is extremely valuable. However, it is primarily geared toward students and practitioners of forensic psychology.

In summary, I would include this book in my professional library for forensic mental health fellows and residents so they may learn the skills, the limitations, and the experiences of our forensic psychologist colleagues.

• American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law