Synopses & Reviews
It was not until the mid-twentieth century that childhood achieved recognition as a developmental stage separate from adulthood. Despite the legal protections (e.g., child labor laws) for children that have been established since then, we're still relatively early in the process of discovering childhood's legal and forensic contexts. Taking us a quantum leap forward is this practical textbook, a step-by-step guide that walks clinicians through the often-confusing world of depositions and courtroom testimony. The editors-pioneers in child and adolescent forensic psychiatry-have dramatically expanded their earlier textbook ( Clinical Handbook of Child Psychiatry and the Law), bringing clarity and coherence to these complex and often highly charged clinical and legal issues by emphasizing evidence-based research within an easy-to-read outline format.
Structured around clinical case examples, countertransference pitfalls, and guidelines for action, Part 1, Basics reviews the history and principles of law (forensic ethics, psychological testing, and testifying in court) of forensic psychiatry and provides a framework for approaching forensic evaluations (including vicarious traumatization). Part II, Child Custody talks about how to approach child custody disputes (including current social dilemmas that pose ethical and clinical questions for the forensic examiner), evaluations and assessments, foster care and adoption, termination of parental rights, and transracial/transcultural adoption in the United States. Part III, Child Abuse presents new information on the developmental aspects of memory in children, the reliability and suggestibility of children's statements, interview techniques, Munchausen syndrome by proxy, sexual harassment in school-age children, and child pornography. Part IV, Youth Violence details how violence affects the child's developing brain (setting the stage for conduct disorders, dissociative disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder), assesses the risks of carrying weapons, and summarizes youth risk factors, common evaluation pitfalls, and prevention and intervention programs. Part V, Juvenile Offenders highlights the differences between the content and application of juvenile and adult law, addressing the waiver of juveniles to adult court, effective early detection and intervention programs, and techniques for helping the especially problematic sexually aggressive youth. Part VI, Legal Issues reviews the treatment of minors, the current state (including recent court decisions) of psychiatric commitment of minors, special issues for mentally retarded children, and psychic trauma and civil litigation.
Even clinicians who plan never to set foot in court will want to have this reference on hand. Rich in both historical detail and practical guidance, this remarkable collection by top authors and clinicians in the field is the definitive reference (and preparation guide for board certification in forensic psychiatry) for practitioners, forensic examiners, attorneys and judges, and trainees in child and adolescent psychiatry and psychology.
Synopsis
Many of the chapters have been entirely rewritten by new authors to provide fresh insight into such topics as child custody; juvenile law; abuse, neglect, and permanent wardship cases; transcultural, transracial, and gay and lesbian parenting and adoption; and the reliability and suggestibility of children's statements.
Synopsis
This practical textbook is a step-by-step guide that walks clinicians through the often-confusing world of depositions and courtroom testimony. The editors bring clarity and coherence to these complex and often highly charged clinical and legal issues by emphasizing evidence-based research within an easy-to-read outline format.Diane H. Schetky, M.D., and Elissa P. Benedek, M.D. "Principles and Practice of Child and Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry" "Principles and Practice of Child and Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry"
Synopsis
When care of younger patients raises thorny legal questions, you need answers you can trust: that's why this book belongs on every clinician's reference shelf. Principles and Practice of Child and Adolescent Forensic Mental Health is a timely and authoritative source that covers issues ranging from child custody to litigation concerns as it walks clinicians through the often-confusing field of depositions and courtroom testimony.
The book expands on the 2002 volume Principles and Practice of Child and Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry winner of the 2003 Manfred S. Guttmacher Award, to meet pressing twenty-first-century concerns, from telepsychiatry to the Internet, while continuing to cover basic issues, such as forensic evaluation, psychological screening, and the interviewing of children for suspected sexual abuse, that are important to both new and experienced practitioners. Many of its chapters have been entirely rewritten by new authors to provide fresh insight into such topics as child custody; juvenile law; abuse, neglect, and permanent wardship cases; transcultural, transracial, and gay/lesbian parenting and adoption; and the reliability and suggestibility of children's statements. It also includes significant material not found in the previous volume: Two chapters on special education offer an introduction to screening instruments and help practitioners determine a child's potential need for special education programs and services. A chapter on cultural competence helps readers improve the accuracy and responsiveness of forensic evaluations and minimize the chance of an unjust outcome resulting from misguided expert opinion. The section on youth violence features three new chapters-Taxonomy and Neurobiology of Aggression, Prevention of School Violence, and Juvenile Stalkers-plus a newly written chapter on assessment of violence risk, offering guidance on how to confront problems such as bullying and initiate effective family interventions. A chapter on psychiatric malpractice and professional liability addresses these legal concerns with an eye toward cases involving minors. A chapter on psychological autopsy covers evaluation of the circumstances surrounding pediatric suicides, describing various types of equivocal deaths and discussing legal issues such as admissibility of the autopsy in court. A newly written chapter on the Internet expands the previous book's focus on child pornography to help practitioners deal with issues ranging from online threats to emotional and legal consequences of interactions in cyberspace.
This is a valuable reference not only for practitioners in psychiatry and the mental health field but also for attorneys and judges. It opens up a field that may be too often avoided and helps professionals make their way through legal thickets with confidence.
Synopsis
Revised and rewritten, this guide provides fresh insight into such topics as child custody; juvenile law; abuse, neglect, and permanent wardship cases; transcultural, transracial, and gay and lesbian parenting and adoption; and the reliability and suggestibility of children's statements.