Ethical medical practice and treatment in psychiatry are based on the concept of first do no harm. However, this cannot, and does not, apply to forensic cases where there is no doctor–patient relationship and the forensic psychiatrist may indeed cause harm to the examinee. In this book, Robert Sadoff analyzes the ethical issues affecting forensic psychiatric practice, especially those promulgated by the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Within those guidelines, he looks at individual bias, vulnerability of the examinee, and potential harm to the mental health professional. The book discusses each of the procedures of the forensic expert separately with respect to minimizing harm. It has been written with an international audience in mind and features chapters reviewing the European and UK perspectives, by Emanuele Valenti and John Baird, respectively. Robert Sadoff addresses the long-term harm that can be either avoided or minimized through careful planning and application of ethical principles. He is not advocating that the harm can be totally eliminated, because that is impossible in the adversarial system in which forensic psychiatrists work. However, there are means by which harm may be minimized if care is taken during the assessment, the report writing, and the testimony phase of the proceedings. The book develops the scope of forensic psychiatry from the standpoint of administrative, civil and criminal cases. It presents the practical issues involved in conducting forensic psychiatric assessments under various conditions plus special considerations, such as bias, minimizing harm, developing a therapeutic approach, and elaborating on various vulnerable individuals who are frequently examined in forensic cases. These include juveniles, mentally retarded, autistic, sexual assault victims, the elderly, the organically damaged, the psychotic, and mentally disabled prisoners. Immigrants are covered in a chapter by Solange Margery Bertoglia. The ethical issues in conducting forensic psychiatric examinations and presenting psychiatric testimony in court are examined and discussed. Cases illustrating the difficulties involved punctuate the presentation. The book closes with a fascinating account of the legal perspective by Donna Vanderpool. In summary, this book illustrates the ethical and practical issues that affect forensic psychiatric practice. The question is not what we do, but how we do it, and which standards, ethical guidelines and personal values contribute to the total picture. Despite the fact that we cannot always adhere to the doctrine of "primum non nocere," we can minimize the harm caused inherently by the adversarial system in which we participate. Praise for Ethical Issues in Forensic Psychiatry "One of the founding giants of the forensic psychiatric field has written here far more than a "mere" ethics textbook. Instead, this compendium serves multiple purposes: it is a valuable primer on forensic techniques of examination and testimony, a model of best forensic practices, and an instruction on the most appropriately civilized way in which to conduct oneself as a forensic psychiatrist. The success of these multiple accomplishments clearly derives from characteristics of the author. In both sage advice to practitioners and in many revealing case examples, Dr. Sadoff displays the tact, good manners and sensitivity of a consummate gentleman – a term not always associated with the hurly-burly of courtroom work. The book's primary focus on avoiding harm to all the parties involved in the work places it on the moral high ground of the legal system in which participating clinicians must find a place." Thomas G. Gutheil, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Co-Founder, Program in Psychiatry and the Law, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School

A contemporary case-based discussion of ethical dilemmas faced by researchers in forensic mental health, this book offers useful guidance to anyone planning research in this field. It focuses on problems frequently encountered, such as issues of capacity to consent in forensic settings and the meaning of consent to participate. Chapters cover issues such as the procurement of consent among incarcerated people; the ability of young people to provide consent; the effects of culturally specific lay beliefs about mental illness; confidentiality; multidisciplinary approaches; and ethics in risk assessment research. The contributors address questions such as whether research can be therapeutic, and whether it is ever reasonable to compromise patient confidentiality for the wider benefits of publishing research. Based on empirical data from researchers' own experiences, this comprehensive book will be essential reading for anyone planning research in the area of forensic mental health, and all whose work is in this area.

Highly Commended, BMA Medical Book Awards 2014Comprehensive and erudite, Forensic Psychiatry: Clinical, Legal and Ethical Issues, Second Edition is a practical guide to the psychiatry of offenders, victims, and survivors of crime. This landmark publication has been completely updated but retains all the features that made the first edition such a w

This book provides an overview of forensic psychiatry, focusing on the provision of care in Europe as well as the legal and ethical challenges posed by long-term stays in forensic settings. Forensic psychiatric services provide care and treatment for mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) in secure in-patient facilities as well as in the community. These services are high-cost/low-volume services; they pose significant restrictions on patients and hence raise considerable ethical challenges. There is no agreed-upon standard for length of stay (LoS) in secure settings and patients’ detainment periods vary considerably across countries and even within the same jurisdiction. Thus far, little research has been conducted to identify factors associated with length of stay; consequently, it remains unclear how services should be configured to meet the needs of this patient group. This volume fills some of those gaps. Furthermore, it presents new research on factors associated with length of stay, both patient-related and organisational. Various approaches to the provision of care for long-term patients in different countries are explored, including a few best practise examples in this specific area of psychiatry. The book also addresses the perspective of those working in forensic care by reviewing quality-of-life research and interviews with patients. The authors of this volume come from a range of professional backgrounds, ensuring a certain breadth and depth in the topic discussion, and even includes patients themselves as (co-)authors.

Recent surveys demonstrate a high and possibly increasing prevalence of mental disorders in prisoners. They have an increased risk of suffering from a mental disorder that transcends countries and diagnoses. Ethical dilemmas in prison psychiatry arise from resource allocation and include issues of patient choice and autonomy in an inherently coercive environment. Ethical conflicts may arise from the dual role of forensic psychiatrists giving raise to tensions between patient care/protection of the public.This book describes models and ethical issues of psychiatric healthcare in prison in several countries. Relevant issues are: the professional medical role of a psychiatrist and/or psychotherapist working in prison, the involvement of psychiatrists in disciplinary or coercive measures; consent to treatment, the use of coercion in forcing a prisoner to undergo treatment, hunger strike, confidentiality. The book ends with consensus guidelines concerning good practice in Prison Psychiatry.

This book details possible ethical situations and pitfalls that forensic psychiatric experts would commonly encounter when making a court testimony. Richly illustrated with cases from medicine, psychiatry, and law, this elegantly written volume examines the common moral ground that links these usually separate domains, and relates forensic ethics to larger concepts of morality and justice.

AN AUTHORITATIVE GUIDE TO THE CURRENT SPECIALTY GUIDELINES FOR FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY Ethics in Forensic Psychology Practice is a comprehensive and authoritative resource that addresses major concerns of professionals who conduct evaluations, provide treatment, carry out research, as well as a guide for those who teach and train in diverse legal contexts. Including on the American Psychological Association's current Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology, the standard measure for ethical and legal conduct, this important volume is organized around substantive practice issues that cut across various functions and roles. The authors include a range of topics such as training, business practices, roles, privacy, confidentiality, report writing, testifying, and more.