Handbook of Forensic Assessment: Psychological and Psychiatric Perspectives

The Handbook of Forensic Assessment: Psychological and Psychiatric Perspectives was edited by four leading practitioners and educators in the fields of forensic psychiatry and psychology. Its title highlights two key features: it is a practical handbook designed to be a “valuable one-stop reference for … forensic work,” and it is meant for use by both psychiatrists and psychologists.

The book has 30 chapters divided into three sections. Parts 1 and 2, Criminal Matters and Civil Matters, comprise 26 chapters focused on the specific types of forensic evaluations that are performed in these areas. Each chapter provides an overview of the basic concepts and practical instruction pertinent to one type of evaluation. Information that is not as useful for everyday practice, such as historical perspectives and public policy, is only briefly touched on, unless it pertains directly to the evaluation process itself.

The chapters are organized in a uniform format that describes in four steps the process involved in preparing forensic evaluations: Preparation, Data Collection, Data Interpretation, and Communication. Preparation covers important points such as ethics and scope of practice that should be considered before undertaking the case. These include which questions should and should not be asked and how to refrain from overreaching or becoming embroiled in matters best left for the finder of fact. Data Collection describes the in-person evaluation, psychological testing, and acquisition of collateral data. The analysis of the data and how they are applied in answering the referral question is reviewed in Data Interpretation. Finally, Communication elucidates the construction of the report and other methods of conveying information.

The final four chapters make up Part 3, Forensic Practice Considerations. They contain discussions of general topics such as the practical aspects of developing and managing a forensic practice. An entire chapter is devoted to problems that can arise in the interstate practice of forensics. It includes a highly useful table of the 50 states and the individual restrictions and provisions that govern the licensing of expert witnesses.

Each chapter in the book is the product of collaboration between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. The editors explain that this format is intended to provide the perspectives of each field and to increase the book's utility for both. An example of this dual-field approach is the routine discussion of applicable psychological testing in each chapter. The explanation of which psychological tests may be helpful, how they should be administered, and how their results can be applied should be of great benefit to every forensic practitioner.

The text examines some key occurrences that may not have warranted extensive discussion in other books because of their relatively infrequency. Chapter 6 on the insanity defense includes a discussion of the less major disorders that may form the basis for the defense, such as posttraumatic stress and Asperger's syndrome. Chapter 7 is dedicated in its entirety to the practical aspects of capital litigation and can be particularly helpful to experts with little prior exposure who may become involved in such cases.

Among the other areas explored are education and habilitation evaluations in Chapter 18, transcultural concerns in Chapter 30, and juvenile delinquency and decertification in Chapter 11. The legal nuances of causation are highlighted in Chapter 14, Employment Discrimination and Harassment. Because the questions of civil commitment and competency to consent to treatment arise in many settings, Chapters 21 and 22 on those important subjects are useful for all psychiatrists and psychologists, not just forensic practitioners.

Two glossaries are included, one containing scientific and medical terms and the other, legal terms. Psychiatrists and psychologists will find the Scientific Glossary helpful, particularly in defining terms from the other field that they may not encounter often. Both disciplines will find the Legal Glossary useful, as it provides formal legal definitions of terms that are used differently in the lay language.

The two sample reports provided in Appendix D are on juvenile decertification and a board complaint. Although they are informative, it is unclear why these specific types were chosen as models.

True to its title, the book is constructed to fulfill its function as a handbook rather than as a textbook. History is briefly touched on, but the focus is predominantly on the concepts and practical know-how needed to perform and present specific forensic evaluations. The text is perhaps most useful as a reference for practitioners who need a refresher on an evaluation or a reminder of key considerations that differentiate one evaluation from other types. The reader should already have a background in forensics that covers the fundamental tenets, such as confidentiality, bias, and duty to the requesting client. Although the text touches on those topics, the reader attempting to perform forensic evaluations by using this text alone will encounter minimal treatment of those areas.

Overall, the Handbook of Forensic Assessment is a clear and informative resource that delivers what its title promises. Forensic psychiatrists should find it a helpful addition to their libraries that they will refer to again and again in the course of their work.

• © 2012 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law