Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) continues to develop and expand as a specialization. Since the publication of the First Edition of Forensic Mental Health Assessment: A Casebook over a decade ago, there have been a number of significant changes in the applicable law, ethics, science, and practice that have shaped the conceptual and empirical underpinnings of FMHA. The Second Edition of Forensic Mental Health Assessment is thoroughly updated in light of the developments and changes in the field, while still keeping the unique structure of presenting cases, detailed reports, and specific teaching points on a wide range of topics. Unlike anything else in the literature, it provides genuine (although disguised) case material, so trainees as well as legal and mental health professionals can review how high-quality forensic evaluation reports are written; it features contributions from leading experts in forensic psychology and psychiatry, providing samples of work in their particular areas of specialization; and it discusses case material in the larger context of broad foundational principles and specific teaching points, making it a valuable resource for teaching, training, and continuing education. Now featuring 50 real-world cases, this new edition covers topics including criminal responsibility, sexual offending risk evaluation, federal sentencing, capital sentencing, capacity to consent to treatment, personal injury, harassment and discrimination, guardianship, juvenile commitment, transfer and decertification, response style, expert testimony, evaluations in a military context, and many more. It will be invaluable for anyone involved in assessments for the courts, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and attorneys, as well as for FMHA courses.

A CHILLING FOLLOW-UP TO THE POPULAR TRUE CRIME BOOK THE ANATOMY OF EVIL Revisiting Dr. Michael Stone's groundbreaking 22-level Gradations of Evil Scale, a hierarchy of evil behavior first introduced in the book The Anatomy of Evil, Stone and Dr. Gary Brucato, a fellow violence and serious psychopathology expert, here provide even more detail, using dozens of cases to exemplify the categories along the continuum. The New Evil also presents compelling evidence that, since a cultural tipping-point in the 1960s, certain types of violent crime have emerged that in earlier decades never or very rarely occurred. The authors examine the biological and psychiatric factors behind serial killing, serial rape, torture, mass and spree murders, and other severe forms of violence. They persuasively argue that, in at least some cases, a collapse of moral faculties contributes to the commission of such heinous crimes, such that "evil" should be considered not only a valid area of inquiry, but, in our current cultural climate, an imperative one. They consider the effects of new technologies and sociological, cultural, and historical factors since the 1960s that may have set the stage for "the new evil." Further, they explain how personality, psychosis, and other qualities can meaningfully contribute to particular crimes, making for many different motives. Relying on their extensive clinical experience, and examination of writings and artwork by infamous serial killers, these experts offer many insights into the logic that drives horrible criminal behavior, and they discuss the hope that in the future such violence may be prevented.

A major contribution to the field of crime/deviance, this volume by noted criminologist Charles R. Tittle puts forth an integrated theory of deviance--control balance. Its central premise is that the total amount of control people are subjected to, relative to the control they can exercise, will affect the probability and type of their deviant behavior.In developing control balance, Tittle critically reviews other general theories such as anomie, Marxian conflict, social control, differential association/social learning, labelling, and routine activities and offers reasons why those theories are insufficient. Using real-world examples to illustrate his argument, he contends that deviance results from the convergence of four variables, each of which represents an interactive nexus of several inputs, including most prominently a control imbalance. The variables are predisposition, motivation, opportunity, and constraint. Control balance theory also explains six basic types of deviance, ranging from predation, defiance, and submissiveness on one end of a control ratio continuum to exploitation, plunder, and decadence on the other.Tittle conceives of control balance as a continuation, or temporary culmination, of the collective efforts of crime/deviance scholars who have gone before, presenting it as a vehicle for trying to achieve a fully adequate general theory of deviance.

This second edition of Irving Weiner's classic comprehensive, clinician-friendly guide to utilizing the Rorschach for personality description has been revised to reflect both recent modifications in the Rorschach Comprehensive System and new evidence concerning the soundness and utility of Rorschach assessment. It integrates the basic ingredients of structural, thematic, behavioral, and sequence analysis strategies into systematic guidelines for describing personality functioning. It is divided into three parts. Part I concerns basic considerations in Rorschach testing and deals with conceptual and empirical foundations of the inkblot method and with critical issues in formulating and justifying Rorschach inferences. Part II is concerned with elements of interpretation that contribute to thorough utilization of data in a Rorschach protocol: the Comprehensive System search strategy; the complementary roles of projection and card pull in determining response characteristics; and the interpretive significance of structural variables, content themes, test behaviors, and the sequence in which various response characteristics occur. Each of the chapters presents and illustrates detailed guidelines for translating Rorschach findings into descriptions of structural and dynamic aspects of personality functioning. The discussion throughout emphasizes the implications of Rorschach data for personality assets and liabilities, with specific respect to adaptive and maladaptive features of the manner in which people attend to their experience, use ideation, modulate affect, manage stress, view themselves, and relate to others. Part III presents 10 case illustrations of how the interpretive principles delineated in Part II can be used to identify assets and liabilities in personality functioning and apply this information in clinical practice. These cases represent persons from diverse demographic backgrounds and demonstrate a broad range of personality styles and clinical issues. Discussion of these cases touches on numerous critical concerns in arriving at different diagnoses, formulating treatment plans, and elucidating structural and dynamic determinants of behavior.

Domestic violence is a major public health concern, affecting millions worldwide. It is underreported, often devastating and sometimes ends in murder. In Toxic Couples: The Psychology of Domestic Violence, Anna Motz integrates psychological and criminological data with clinical illustrations and discussion of current high-profile cases. She examines the complex manifestations and multiple causes of intimate partner violence. Motz disentangles the roles played by those involved and examines the addictive nature of these damaging partnerships. The book describes various forms of abuse, including physical, sexual and emotional, and analyses how intimate partner violence can escalate to murder. She explores important factors including: the role of addiction; homelessness and vulnerability; the intergenerational transmission of abuse; sadomasochistic relationships; honour-based violence. The book emphasizes the significance of female- as well as male-perpetrated violence and outlines the powerful impact on the children of abusive parents, extending the clinical awareness of professionals working with those affected. Toxic Couples: The Psychology of Domestic Violence is ideal for clinicians working with the victims and perpetrators of intimate partner violence, for students of psychology, gender studies and social care courses and for anyone interested in the psychological forces behind violence in relationships. ]

Prisons have a very distinctive environment, one in which particular psychological problems occur with exaggerated frequency and intensity. If prison staff are to work effectively they must be aware of the influence of this unique environment upon the behaviour of those who inhabit it. This book argues that by applying psychological principles the behaviour of prisons can be better understood, and violence, distress and stress can be limited. The authors show how psychology can be used to increase our understanding of prisoners, how they became involved in crime, and how they adapt to prison life. They explain how psychology can be used and applied to make for more effective day-to-day dealing with prisoners. The authors focus on key areas of tension and particular problem groups, including sex offenders, violent offenders and the issue of AIDS. But the book also considers the effect that working in a prison has on its staff and explores how they can use psychological principles both to reduce the level of stress they undergo in their work and to secure the prisoners' mental well being.

HMP Holloway was the largest women's prison in Europe, historically holding numerous infamous female criminals and eliciting intrigue and fascination from the public. The End of the Sentence: Psychotherapy with Female Offenders documents the rich and varied psychotherapeutic work undertaken by dedicated specialists in this intense and often difficult environment, where attempts to provide psychological security were often undermined by conflicting ideas of physical security. Women commit crime most often in the context of poverty, addiction and transgenerational violence or trauma, familial cycles of offending and imprisonment which are often overlooked. Using personal testimony and case studies, and screened through the lens of psychoanalytic theory, the book examines the enduring therapeutic and relational endeavour to find connection, closure and to experience a "good enough" ending with prisoners when the possibility of a positive new beginning often seemed remote. It also considers how the cultural and political discourse remains hostile towards women who are incarcerated, and how this may have culminated in the closure of the only female prison in London. Through insightful real-life accounts, this insightful book also emphasizes the importance of professionals finding ways of supporting one another to offer women who have entered the criminal justice system a way to leave it. It will prove fascinating reading for forensic psychotherapists, forensic psychologists and criminologists, as well as anything interested in the criminal justice system.

This edited collection provides an interdisciplinary and cross-national perspective on safeguarding the quality of forensic assessment in sentencing offenders. Taking an in-depth look at seven different Western countries, each chapter provides an overview of the role of assessment in sentencing offenders, as well as a focus on formal ways in which the respective country's legal system and disciplinary associations protect the quality of forensic assessment. Each chapter explores how to assure better decision making in individual cases based on assessments of psycholegal concepts such as mental disorder/insanity, criminal responsibility and dangerousness. Combining the perspectives of lawyers, legal scholars, and clinicians working in the field, this book is essential for those working in and with forensic assessment.

This edited collection provides an interdisciplinary and cross-national perspective on safeguarding the quality of forensic assessment in sentencing offenders. Taking an in-depth look at seven different Western countries, each chapter provides an overview of the role of assessment in sentencing offenders, as well as a focus on formal ways in which the respective country's legal system and disciplinary associations protect the quality of forensic assessment. Each chapter explores how to assure better decision making in individual cases based on assessments of psycholegal concepts such as mental disorder/insanity, criminal responsibility and dangerousness. Combining the perspectives of lawyers, legal scholars, and clinicians working in the field, this book is essential for those working in and with forensic assessment.

Building on the success of the first edition and the growth of research in the field over the past decade, this book offers an authoritative overview of the assessment, treatment, and management of violent and sexual offenders. This new and expanded edition reflects the considerable developments in research and empirical data and captures the increasing breadth of risk assessment approaches, the wider range of empirically based therapies, and the more creative means of considering management. The second edition captures key developments in this area, with new chapters drawing on a range of pressing contemporary issues, such as female offenders, Internet offenders, terrorists, young people involved in harmful sexual behaviour, and protective factors for aggression. There is also extended coverage of the management of offenders within secure settings and in the community, referring to a wider variety of approaches and the incorporation of technology. This book will be of considerable interest to academics, practitioners, and students engaged with understanding and/or treating violence and aggression, sex crime, forensic psychology, and the assessment, treatment, and management of offenders.

"Assessing Risk in Sex Offenders: A Practitioner's Guide" is a handy resource for forensic practitioners responsible for assessing an managing sexual offenders at risk of recidivism. It covers the risk factors associated with sexual recidivism, evaluates risk assessment approaches and offers guidance on how to conduct forensic evaluations.

Written by an expert author team, "Assessing risk in Sex Offenders: A Practitioner's Guide" examines:

• The characteristics of sexual offenders
• Methodological considerations in measuring predictive accuracy
• Static and dynamic factors
• Structured risk assessments
• Treatment of sexual offenders
• Policy and practices"Assessing Risk in Sex Offenders: A Practitioner's Guide" is an essential resource for clinical and forensic psychologists, forensic psychiatrists, undergraduate and postgraduate students in forensic and clinical psychology, and prison and probation officers.

Over the past two decades, concern about adolescent sex offenders has grown at an astonishing pace, garnering heated coverage in the media and providing fodder for television shows like Law & Order. Americans' reaction to such stories has prompted the unquestioned application to adolescents of harsh legal and clinical intervention strategies designed for serious adult offenders, with little attention being paid to the psychological maturity of the offender. Many strategies being used today to deal with juvenile sex offenders-and even to define what criteria to use in defining "juvenile sex offender"-do not have empirical support and, Frank C. DiCataldo cautions, may be doing more harm to children and society than good. The Perversion of Youth critiques the current system and its methods for treating and categorizing juveniles, and calls for a major reevaluation of how these cases should be managed in the future. Through an analysis of the history of the problem and an empirical review of the literature, including specific cases and their outcomes, DiCataldo demonstrates that current practices are based more on our collective fears and moral passions than on any supportive science or sound policy.

This book represents a comprehensive collection of theoretical and empirical work at the nexus of clinical and forensic psychology written by world-renowned experts in the field. It is among the first books in the field to focus entirely on clinical psychological science applied to the understanding and treatment of offending. Part I addresses the main theoretical and clinical models used to explain and predict antisocial behavior, spanning biological, cognitive, experimental, individual differences, and interpersonal perspectives. Part II focuses on forms of psychopathology associated with an increased tendency to offend, with the emphasis on describing the clinical constructs most relevant for forensic psychology. Each chapter describes the clinical characteristics of one form of psychopathology, their assessment, their links with antisocial behavior, and treatment considerations. Part III focuses on different types of offense or offender groups as starting points. This perspective has relevance since many criminal justice and forensic mental health systems allocate offenders to interventions based on their index offense (or history of offenses). Finally, Part IV addresses the application of clinical psychology in the service of assessment and treatment in forensic settings. It includes the state of the art on diagnostic and risk assessment, as well as both widely used and recently developed interventions. This book is an excellent resource for students at both Bachelor's and Master's level, while also representing a comprehensive handbook for experienced researchers and practitioners.

The Handbook of Forensic Psychopathology and Treatment explores the relationship between psychopathology and criminal behaviour in juveniles and adults. It provides a detailed explanation of the developmental pathway from the process of increasing criminal behaviour and becoming a forensic patient, to assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. Incorporating theoretical and scientific research reviews, as well as reviews regarding forensic rehabilitation, the book covers the theory, maintenance and treatment of psychopathology in offenders who have committed a crime. The Handbook of Forensic Psychopathology and Treatment will be of interest to masters and postgraduate students studying the relationship between psychopathology and crime, as well as researchers and clinicians working in forensic psychiatry institutions or departments.

A psychiatric assessment is a structured clinical conversation, complemented by observation and mental state examination, and supplemented by a physical examination and the interview of family members when appropriate. After the initial interview, the clinician should be able to establish whether the individual has a mental health problem or not, the nature of the problem, and a plan for the most suitable treatment. Essentials of Psychiatric Assessment provides the resident or beginning psychiatrist with a complete road map to a thorough clinical evaluation.

'I think you have something here' I said, 'This could lead to a whole new way of understanding criminal behaviour. As far as I know no one's ever tried to figure out why serial killers kill. The implications are profound.' Haunting, heartfelt, and deeply human, Dr Ann Burgess's remarkable memoir combines a riveting personal narrative of fearless feminism and ambition, bone-chilling encounters with real-life monsters, and a revealing portrait of the ever-evolving US criminal justice system. A Killer By Design will inspire, terrify, and enlighten you in equal measure. It forces us to confront the age-old question 'What drives someone to kill, and how can we stop them?' 'Of all the colleagues I've worked with, Ann is one of the sharpest - and one of the toughest ... She taught us how to harness the chaos of serial killers' minds and helped us decipher the undecipherable. I'd recommend that everyone read A Killer By Design; not only is it a great page-turner, but it's about time Ann's story was heard' - JOHN E. DOUGLAS, former FBI criminal profiler and bestselling author of Mindhunter.

The goal of this book is to provide brief-but-comprehensive information that can aid in rapid differential diagnosis and allow for more thorough follow-up if needed. This guide is intended to fit easily into the pocket of a lab coat or on your desk, giving readers an efficient way to find information about a specific disease or disorder to prepare for an upcoming case. The book is divided into two parts: Part 1 involves general psychometric and reference information including score classifications, formulas for score conversion, likelihood chaining, and reliable change, psychometric data for stand-alone and embedded PVTs, and the effects of common medications on cognition. Part 2 of the book is organized alphabetically by disease or disorder to promote quick searching, and each chapter provides straightforward information including definitions, subtypes, etiology, epidemiology, course, diagnostic criteria, expectations for test results, and links to more comprehensive sources. Whenever possible, information is gathered through up-to-date literature and high quality pubilcations such as systematic reviews or meta-analyses. Helpful references are provided for more extensive follow-up or further reading.

"Stalking" ist mittlerweile ein bekannter Fachbegriff, der synonym mit "obsessiver Verfolgung" und "obsessiver Belastigung" gebraucht wird. - Aber was genau ist "Stalking"? Endlose Briefe, Telefonate und E-Mails, Auflauern und Verfolgen, Drohungen und Liebesbekundungen: Es gibt keine spezifische Verhaltensweise, die bei Stalking immer prasent ist - aber im Kern geht es immer um ein einseitiges Kontaktstreben: Einer will, dass der andere an ihn denkt, der andere mochte ihn aus dem Gedachtnis verbannen.

Hoffmann, der als der deutsche Stalking-Experte gilt, zeigt die unterschiedlichen Facetten von Stalking auf. Als theoretischer Hintergrund dienen psychologische Theorien der Bindungsforschung und Lerntheorie. Fur Fachleute und Betroffene relevant sind die Analysen, wie gefahrlich Stalking in extremen Auspragungen werden kann und was dagegen getan werden kann."

Sexual aggression is a pervasive societal problem with devastating and sometimes permanent effects on its victims. Approximately one in four adults have been either victims or perpetrators of sexually aggressive behavior. Until now a disproportionate amount of attention has been paid to victim-based methods of prevention with a corresponding lack of emphasis on the perpetrators of sexual aggression, whose rate of recidivism is quite high. As psychologists and mental health professionals turn their attention to assessment and treatment of sexual offenders, the need for practical, scientifically based information on sexual aggression has become clear. In this book, Gordon Hall offers suggestions based on state-of-the-science theory and research. Using the quadripartite model of sexual aggression to provide a framework for causes and possible solutions, it breaks new ground by proposing preventive intervention with potential perpetrators. The book is a valuable resource for anyone involved in mental health, criminology, and the judicial system.

Forensic Psychological Assessment in Immigration Court is an essential specialized guide for psychologists and clinicians who work with immigrants. Immigration evaluations differ in many ways from other types of forensic assessments because of the psycholegal issues that extend beyond the individual, including family dynamics, social context, and cross-cultural concerns. Immigrants are often victims of trauma and require specialized expertise to elicit the information needed for assessment. Having spent much of their professional careers as practicing forensic psychologists, authors Evans and Hass have compiled a comprehensive text that draws on forensic psychology, psychological assessment, traumatology, family processes, and national and international political forces to present an approach for the effective and ethical practice of forensic psychological assessment in Immigration Court.

Democratic therapeutic communities have been set up all over the world, but until now there has not been a manual that sets out the underlying theories, and describes successful practice. Based on their own substantial experience and expertise, the authors of this new textbook explain how to set up and run modern therapeutic communities as effective evidence-based interventions for personality disorder and other common mental health conditions. Including detailed templates and practical information alongside a wider historical context, this encyclopaedic handbook will enable clinicians to develop and implement a democratic therapeutic community model with confidence. Highlighting the importance of belonging to a wider community, this book also shows how to ensure the needs of patients are considered and met, and that patients themselves can see in detail what this approach entails. This is an invaluable resource for clinicians and service commissioners working in the field of recovery from personality disorder, as well as those working in mental health and healthcare. This book also provides a useful model for professionals working in prisons and the justice system, long-term drug and alcohol rehabilitation and education, and students of group analytic, psychotherapy, and counselling courses.

Domestic violence is a serious, widespread public, social and health problem that affects the lives of many women, children and men. There is also evidence to suggest it has one of the highest rates of recidivism. This comprehensive book provides an overview of what the research tells us about the perpetrators of domestic violence and what works, and what doesn't, in promoting positive change. Collecting together the most up-to-date evidence from the international literature and bringing psychological, sociological, gendered and socio-political theoretical perspectives to bear on the issue, the authors explore: - what domestic violence is, why it happens and how it can be measured - who the perpetrators of domestic violence are, including discussion of non-stereotypical patterns such as male victims, female perpetrators, couples where the abuse is mutual, and couples with abusive relationships who want the abuse to end but the relationship to be sustained - strategies for engaging perpetrators in interventions and for promoting behaviour change - evidence-informed interventions, programmes and policies for working with perpetrators - where robust evidence is lacking and more research needs to be undertaken. Domestic violence is a significant problem for those individuals and families whose life is affected by this issue, the social, health and criminal justice agencies that respond to it, and wider society which must bear the costs and its devastating effects. This volume is an important reference for all those researching and working with the victims, survivors and perpetrators of domestic violence, including academics and students from fields such as social work, sociology, criminology, psychology and social policy.

Forensic psychology is where psychology meets the criminal justice system. An understanding of the intersection of criminal law and psychological issues relating to criminal responsibility is critical for criminal justice students. This accessible text focuses on the criminal law implications of forensic psychology as it relates to topics such as competency to stand trial, state of mind at the time of the crime, suicide by cop, and involuntary psychiatric medication administered in custody. Unlike more traditional texts on this topic, which are primarily concerned with the clinical practice of forensic psychology, this book focuses on critical thinking as it relates to these topics. Each chapter presents a critical analysis of the topic under study, going beyond merely identifying the legal parameters of criminal responsibility to explore the ethical, philosophical, and theoretical foundations of that concept.

Psychological Aspects of Crisis Negotiation, Third Edition, explores the methods and strategies for confronting the nine types of subjects typically encountered in hostage/suicide sieges by correctional staff and law enforcement crisis negotiators. Strentz, an experienced negotiator who designed and directed the FBI's hostage negotiator program, lays out the critical elements that are required for a successful encounter with a hostage taker or other malfeasant. This book highlights psychological dynamics of negotiations as they apply to the negotiator, the hostage, and the subject. It discusses the predictors of surrender versus the need for a tactical intervention and examines the phases of a hostage crisis and the changing focus as the crisis develops. Referencing historical events such as the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Challenger and Columbia incidents, this text demonstrates how faulty group decision making can spell tragedy. Enhanced with case studies to put the material into context, this third edition also includes new chapters on the SWAT team/crisis negotiator interface and on the genesis of the increased incidence of mentally ill hostage takers. Based on decades of experience in the fi eld and practical advice from a national expert, this volume arms negotiators with the knowledge and tools they need to defuse crises and increase the odds that hostages will survive.

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.