Tens of thousands of readers have relied on this leading text and practitioner reference—now revised and updated—to understand the issues the legal system most commonly asks mental health professionals to address. The volume demystifies the forensic psychological assessment process and provides guidelines for participating effectively and ethically in legal proceedings. Presented are clinical and legal concepts and evidence-based assessment procedures pertaining to criminal and civil competencies, the insanity defense and related doctrines, sentencing, civil commitment, personal injury claims, antidiscrimination laws, child custody, juvenile justice, and other justice-related areas. Case examples, exercises, and a glossary facilitate learning; 19 sample reports illustrate how to conduct and write up thorough, legally admissible evaluations.

New to This Edition

• Extensively revised to reflect important legal, empirical, and clinical developments.
• Increased attention to medical and neuroscientific research.
• New protocols relevant to competence, risk assessment, child custody, and mental injury evaluations.
• Updates on insanity, sentencing, civil commitment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Social Security, juvenile and family law, and the admissibility of expert testimony.
• Material on immigration law (including a sample report) and international law.
• New and revised sample reports.