Principles and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry (Principles & Practices) [Hardcover]

Richard Rosner (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0340806648 | ISBN-13: 978-0340806647 | Edition: 2

The revised and expanded second edition of the highly successful Principles and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry is the essential text for all residents and practitioners in forensic psychiatry and those preparing for the specialty examination in Forensic Psychiatry of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Written and edited by leading US experts, the book address the wide range of legal issues addressed in forensic psychiatry including the History and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry, Legal Regulation of the Practice of Psychiatry, Psychiatry and Civil Law, Psychiatry and Criminal Law, Psychiatry and Family Law, Special Issues in Forensic Psychiatry, Law and the Legal System, and Landmark Cases in Mental Health Law. Features: � A comprehensive account of all aspects of forensic psychiatry � Up-to-date and expanded new edition of this award-winning reference � Contains a synopsis of the major landmark cases in mental health law in the United States - many new for this edition � Edited by members of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law for the Tri-State Chapter

Editorial Reviews

From The New England Journal of Medicine

What started off as a project under the auspices of the Tri-State Chapter of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, in the mid-1970s, has blossomed into Principles and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry. Now in its second edition, and still under the editorial guidance of Richard Rosner, this book continues to be the standard reference textbook in the field. Over the years, the scope of forensic psychiatry has widened, and a major strength of this book is that it succinctly covers the major subspecialties of forensic practice, including civil law, family and domestic relations, correctional psychiatry, and the evaluation and treatment of criminals. Such varied topics as malingering, psychiatric abuse, and head injury are clustered in 26 chapters in a section entitled "Special Clinical Issues in Forensic Psychiatry." A particular strength is the detailed examination of ethical guidelines, liability issues, confidentiality, the duty to protect, and sexual misconduct in therapist-patient relationships. Despite the large number of contributors, the writing is consistently good. This book is not just theoretical but, rather, is interspersed with many practical gems. Chapters on writing forensic reports, preparing courtroom testimony, addressing violations of treatment boundaries, and doing legal research online are some of the many examples of its practical applications. My criticisms are minor. If the book is read through Canadian eyes, its focus is American, not North American. Although interesting, all the landmark cases cited are from U.S. courts. A brief examination of important Canadian and British cases (other than the historic M'Naghten case, involving political assassination during the reign of Queen Victoria) would have rounded out this book. However, it still remains valuable to forensic practitioners outside the United States. Another criticism is that despite the introductory statement that every chapter in this second edition is "an updated, revised and expanded version of what appeared in the original edition," the chapter entitled "Terrorism and Forensic Psychiatry" is essentially unchanged. This is disappointing, because there have been many open source articles on the psychology of terrorism since the attacks of September 11, 2001. The authors repeat their preachy message about forensic psychiatrists in law enforcement while failing to recognize that many practitioners who are employed in operational policing and in the fields of counterterrorism and intelligence are not gun-loving "wannabes" and can continue to follow the oath of Hippocrates. These minor criticisms aside, this book remains the gold standard and is an important reference work in forensic psychiatry. It is well written and well presented and is a must both for experienced forensic psychiatrists and psychologists and for those in training; it is also invaluable for forensic social workers, forensic nurses, lawyers, and the judiciary. Peter I. Collins, M.D.
Copyright © 2004 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved. The New England Journal of Medicine is a registered trademark of the MMS.

Review

"The first edition of this book was an intellectual landmark, but, like the White Queen in Through the Lookin Glass, the authors have to run as hard as they can to stay where they are. They have done that, and the second editio remains a landmark." --JAMA

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 980 pages
• Publisher: Hodder Arnold Publishers; 2 edition (April 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340806648
• ISBN-13: 978-0340806647
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 7.9 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,184,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding overview, June 6, 2008

By 

Ed Renaud (Branford, Ct.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Principles and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry (Principles & Practices) (Hardcover)

There are seemingly endless "handbooks" and "basic principles" texts on the market for almost any topic or specialty in the mental health field. What distinguishes this book from others of its kind is its accessibility, breadth and clarity. It identifies the relevant questions in the field and addresses them without sacrificing clinical sophistication. As someone who is not a forensic specialist, I found I could readily apply the content of this book to the subset of my patients for whom this material is relevant. This is a great resource. Highly recommended.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars principles and practice of forensic psychiatry, March 27, 2006

By 

Dr. Norma Saunders - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Principles and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry (Principles & Practices) (Hardcover)

the quality of writing, specificity of information, comprehensive nature of this text put it far above others.