Most professional forensic literature addresses the assessment of adults yet neglects the necessary differences that arise when working with minors. Forensic Mental Health Assessment of Children and Adolescents presents the reader with essential knowledge and practical suggestions regarding the forensic assessment of minors involved in a variety of legal applications. Methods of evaluation are described by leading experts regarding topics frequently encountered and of great importance to the courts including: • Physical and sexual child abuse • Domestic Violence • Child custody in divorce proceedings • Risk assessment for violence • Potential for rehabilitation in juvenile court cases • Special education • Childhood development and trauma as mitigating circumstances in death penalty cases In additon to reviewing a broad spectrum of topics, methods of evaluation, and the application of specific tests, chapters also address forensic assessment matters such as ethical issues, professional liability, and cultural considerations. This comprehensive resource will be indispensable to mental health practitioners and legal professionals, and of great interest to researchers and students. Reviews: "This volume is historically significant. For almost 100 years, mental health professionals have been offering assessments to serve children, families, and legal professionals in juvenile courts. Its guidance is sound, and it will have a defining impact on the growth of the field."--Thomas Grisso , Ph.D., Director of the Mental Health and Law Core, Center for Mental Health Services Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA "A critically important forensic resource! Drs. Sparta and Koocher have assembled leading experts in the field to convey the latest advances in a thorough, practical, and accessible fashion."--Eric Y. Drogin , J.D., Ph.D., ABPP, Franklin Pierce Law Center, Concord, NY "Sparta and Koocher have produced an absolutely essential and state-of-the-art book for practitioners, scholars, and students who deal with the complex yet crucial issues of forensic assessment of child and adolescent mental health. This volume is a 'must' for everyone interested in this important area. The book has my highest praise."--Gail S. Goodman , Professor of Psychology, University of California, Davis "This volume is chock-full of really valuable information for professionals charged with evaluating children and adolescents. The chapters are up-to-date, highly readable, and brimming with useful advice. I think that anyone who does forensic evaluations, including interviewing children for suspected abuse and neglect, custody disputes, and rehabilitation prospects will find this volume very helpful. I plan to use it with my students."--Stephen J. Ceci , Ph.D., The Helen L. Carr Professor of Developmental Psychology, Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY "Sparta and Koocher have orchestrated a masterpiece. This book represents a remarkable compendium of expertise in uncharted territory. Treatment of such concerns as child plaintiffs in personal injury litigation, the role of childhood abuse and development issues in capital sentence mitigation, the assessment of childhood arson and juvenile sex offender allegations, and numerous other contributions bring fresh, relevant, and concise syntheses of the literature and the legal standards into harmony with professionally sound evaluation techniques. The forensic examiner who addresses children's issues will find it indispensable, and it should be considered a primary text for forensic training programs."--Mary Connell , Ed.D., ABPP; President, American Academy of Forensic Psychology, 2003-2005, Fort Worth, TX "This book is a must-read for every mental health professional whose intention is to conduct forensic evaluations of children that meet the highest professional and ethical standards. Each chapter reflects a respect for children as developing persons and the need for forensic assessments that take into acccount the multiple contexts--familial, legal, cultural, economic--that impede or promote children's mental health. The volume offers a wealth of information that will be helpful to those in the early stages of forensic assessment as well as seasoned professionals who want to ensure their work is guided by the profession's most up-to-date research, assessment instruments, and assessment techniques."--Ceila B. Fisher , Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Director, Center for Ethics Education, Fordham University, Bronx, NY Contents: Foreword by Thomas Grisso Part I An Introduction and Overview of Forensic Mental Health Assessment of Children and Adolescents 1. Introduction to Forensic Assessment of Children Part II Forensic Assessment Issues: Ethics, Lawyers, Courts, Cultural Considerations, Professional Liability 2. The Legal Contexts of Forensic Assessment of Children and Adolescents: An Overview , Lois A. Weithorn 3. Integrating Assessment, Treatment, and Justice: Pipe Dream or Possibility? , Gary B. Melton and Robin J. Kimbrough-Melton 4. Ethical Issues in Forensic Assessment of Children and Adolescents , Gerald P. Koocher 5. Ten Rules: How to Get Along Better with Lawyers and the Legal System , William E. Foote 6. Avoiding Malpractice in Child Forensic Assessment Brandt Caudill, Jr. 7. Working with Courts, Judges and Lawyers: What Forensic Mental Health Professionals Should Know About Being an Expert Witness , Steven R. Smith 8. Interpreting Forensic Interview and Test Data of Latino Children: Recommendations for Culturally Competent Evaluations , Roberto J. Velasquez, Ph.D., Jeanett Castellanos, Ph.D., Maria Garrido, Psy.D., Paula Maness, Ulla Anderson, and Shirley Amanda Gabazon Part III Forensic Mental Health Applications 9. Forensic Interviewing of Children and Adolescents , Linda Sayler Gudas, Ph.D. and Jerome M. Sattler, Ph.D. 10. Assessing Child Sexual Abuse Allegations in a Legal Context , Kathryn Kuehnle and Steven N. Sparta 11. Evaluating the Effects of Domestic Violence on Children , Lois Oberlander Condie 12. Child Physical Abuse and Neglect: Medical and Other Considerations in Forensic Psychological Assessment , Amy C. Tishelman, Alice W. Newton, Jennifer E. Denton and Andrea M. Vandeven 13. Assessing Risk for Violence Among Juvenile Offenders , Randy Borum 14. Psychological Evaluation for Child Custody , Steven N. Sparta and Phillip M. Stahl 15. Assessing Eligibility for and Appropriateness of Special Education Services , Stephen T. DeMers and Leah Nellis 16. Examining Children in Personal Injury Claims , Michael A. Goldberg 17. Neuropsychological Considerations in Forensic Child Assessment , Karen E. Wills and Jerry J. Sweet 18. A Pediatric Lead Litigation Primer: Foundations for Mental Health Assessment , Steven B. Bisbing 19. Bullying and Stalking in Children and Adolescents: Assessing Osessional Harassment , Joseph T. McCann 20. Forensic Assessment of Amenability to Rehabilitation in Juvenile Delinquency , Robert Kinscherff 21. Forensic Assessment of Parenting in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases , Catherine Ayoub and Robert Kinscherff 22. Forensic Evaluation of Juvenile Sexual Offenders , David Medoff and Robert T. Kinscherff 23. Assessing Childhood Trauma and Developmental Factors as Mitigation in Capital Cases , Alan M. Goldstein, Naomi E. Goldstein, and Rachel Kalbeitzer 24. Assessing Firesetting Behavior in Children and Adolescents , David K. Wilcox Part IV Selected Measurement Issues 25. The MMPI-A in Forensic Assessment , James N. Butcher and Kenneth S. Pope 26. Measures for Evaluating Child Sexual Abuse , William N. Friedrich 27. Measuring Adolescent Personality and Psychopathology with the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI) Joseph T. McCann About the Editors: Dr. Steven N. Sparta is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, Adjunct Professor of Law, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and Adjunct Professor of Psychology San Diego State University. He was Chair of the Ethics Committee of the American Psychological Association, former President and Fellow of the San Diego Psychological Association and previously served as Commissioner, Juvenile Justice Commission San Diego County. Dr. Sparta is Boarded in Clinical and Forensic Psychology (ABPP) and maintains an independent practice. Dr. Gerald P. Koocher is President-Elect of the American Psychological Association (APA), a Fellow of twelve divisions of (APA) and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is the only psychologist to have earned five specialty diplomas from the American Boards of Professional Psychology (Clinical, Clinical Child/Adolescent, Family, Forensic, and Health Psychology). Dr. Koocher's professional practice focuses on coping with chronic and life-threatening illness, bereavement, and the interface of mental health practice, ethics, and law. |