Product Description
Over the past decade forensic psychology has grown rapidly as a subject, with an increasing number of forensic psychologists under training and working in demanding roles in prisons, secure training facilities, and high, medium and low security healthcare facilities as well as other parts of the criminal justice system.This "Dictionary" is part of a new series of "Dictionaries" covering key aspects of criminal justice and the criminal justice system, designed to meet the needs of both students and practitioners.It contains approximately 300 entries (of between 500 and 1500 words) on key terms and concepts arranged alphabetically. These entries are contributed by leading academic and practising forensic psychologists. It is designed to meet the needs of both students and practitioners. The entries includes summary definition, main text and key texts and sources takes full account of the criteria and syllabus for the BPS-approved Diploma in Forensic Psychology and MSc in Forensic Psychology. The book is edited by leading authorities in the forensic psychology field. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive overview of forensic psychology as it applies to the civil and criminal justice systems in the UK, which draws on the international evidence base, with contributions from leading international experts

• Designed to cover the British Psychological Society training syllabus in forensic psychology, meeting the needs of postgraduate students
• Chapters are each written by leading international experts, and provide the latest research and evidence base practice for students
• Ideal for qualified practitioners as a resource for continuing professional development
• The text is written in a style designed to support and direct students, and includes specific learning aids and guides to further study
• Linked to an online site providing additional learning materials, offering further aid to students

Product Description

"This book brings together excellent contributions spanning the historic basis of neuropsychology in forensic practice, ethical and legal issues, and practical instruction....The editors have done an outstanding job in providing us with a volume that represents state-of-the-art in forensic neuropsychology. This volume also will be useful for graduate students, fellows, and practitioners in clinical neuropsychology."

--Igor Grant, MD,
Executive Vice Chair, UCSD Department of Psychiatry

This book serves as an updated authoritative contemporary reference work intended for use by forensic neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, pediatricians, attorneys, judges, law students, police officers, special educators, and clinical and school psychologists, among other professionals.

This book discusses the foundations of forensic neuropsychology, ethical/legal issues, practice issues and special areas and populations. Key topics discussed include the principles of brain structure and function, history of clinical neuropsychology, neuropsychology of intelligence, normative and scaling issues, and symptom validity testing and neuroimaging.

Special areas and populations will include disability and fitness for duty evaluations, aging and dementia, children and adolescents, autism spectrum disorders, substance abuse, and Neurotoxicology. A concluding section focuses on the future of forensic neuropsychology.

Product Description
Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) has grown into a specialization informed by research and professional guidelines. This series presents up-to-date information on the most important and frequently conducted forms of FMHA. The 19 topical volumes address best approaches to practice for particular types of evaluation in the criminal, civil and juvenile/family areas. Each volume contains a thorough discussion of the relevant legal and psychological concepts, followed by a step-by-step description of the assessment process from preparing for the evaluation to writing the report and testifying in court.

Volumes include the following helpful features:

- Boxes that zero in on important information for use in evaluations

- Tips for best practice and cautions against common pitfalls

- Highlighting of relevant case law and statutes

- Separate list of assessment tools for easy reference

- Helpful glossary of key terms for the particular topic

In making recommendations for best practice, authos consider empirical support, legal relevance, and consistency with ethical and professional standards. These volumes offer invaluable guidance for anyone involved in conducting or using forensic evaluations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Useful for novices and veterans alike
This crisp little manual provides a balanced summary of the case law, empirical research, and developing practice standards for conducting insanity evaluations. Ira Packer, an award-winning scholar and long-time leader in the field of forensic psychology, brings a wealth of wisdom and experience to this topic. His discussions of controversial topics, such as whether to provide an "ultimate issue" opinion and how to approach the possibility of malingering, are especially balanced and nuanced.

Criminal responsibility evaluations are difficult endeavors both because of their retrospective nature, and also because we can never know for sure what was going on in someone else's head, especially when that person may have understandable reasons to distort. Dr. Packer offers a hypothesis-testing model in which we try to determine which explanation most parsimoniously fits with the accumulated data, while still acknowledging alternatives and limitations. In delineating common interpretation errors in criminal responsibility evaluations (e.g., illusory correlation and overreaching), the author repeatedly stresses the importance of qualifying our opinions and not leaping from the data to a single, unitary conclusion.

This is yet another excellent offering in the Best Practices in Forensic Mental Health Assessment series (see my other reviews for other entries in the series, all but one of which received highly favorable ratings from me). Clearly written and well indexed, this manual is a three-in-one special: It is a good starting point for novice practitioners, a useful review source for experienced forensic psychologists, and an excellent teaching tool for use in classrooms or at internship training sites.

Excellent source for beginning forensic mental health clinicians
The basics that everyone entering this field needs to know with references needed for advancing knowledge. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
The field of forensic psychology explores the intersection of psychology and the law. The purpose of this book is to examine topics in the field using the powerful, multidisciplinary, conceptually integrated approach that the natural sciences have embraced for decades with great success.

Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is the meta-theoretical framework that unifies the field of biology. It unites research and understanding of the development, control, and organization of behavior. The study of humans, which includes all of the social sciences, is part of the field of biology. Darwin's theory provides a powerful meta-theoretical framework that can unify and energize forensic psychology, just as it has the biological sciences.

Evolutionary processes undoubtedly shaped physiological characteristics to help solve problems of survival and reproduction. The lungs, for example, with their vast surface area and moist membranes are marvelous adaptions for extracting oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. Natural selection is the only known process capable of shaping complex functional mechanisms. Just as it shaped physiological adaptations with specific problem-solving functions, it also shaped our thoughts and emotions to guide behaviors toward solving recurrent problems of survival and reproduction. With this logic, we can use knowledge of ancestral problems to guide our understanding of how the mind works.

Evolutionary Forensic Psychology is a necessary step toward a unified and complete understanding of psychology and the law. It recognizes that crimes such as murder, non-lethal violence, rape, and theft are manifestations of evolutionarily recurrent selection when they gave individuals an advantage in competition for resources. Each of the chapters that comprise this volume has been selected to provide the first unified examination of important research contributions and future directions of Evolutionary Forensic Psychology. ... Read more

Product Description
A valuable introduction for students in forensic psychologycourses, this text provides a complete overview of the applications ofpsychology to the law. Forensic psychology, which has been practicedfor less than half a century, has grown so rapidly that there is muchneed for a text which surveys the contributions of clinical and socialpsychology. This integrated text presents the material with anobjective view towards the complete scope of information covering thefundamentals of forensic psychology. Each section includes:+ A survey of legal issues involved and how psychology aids in thedecision making process, + Psychological issues relating to legalcases and legislation that set forth standards, + Common conceptsthat appear in other legal systems, + Case examples illustratingpsychological and legal principles.Forensic Psychology: Clinical, Social, and PsychologicalPerspectives is a comprehensive text that includes information onnew reproductive technologies and the new mental health, drug, anddomestic violence courts. Not only is this text an important tool inthe university setting; it will also be of value to federal and stateprison employees as well as first responders such as firefighters,police, and EMTs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excerpt of review from Doody's Book Review Service
"The authors have compiled one of the most comprehensive introductory texts to forensic psychology.Undoubtedly a worthwhile contribution to the field of psychology this year.This is a must-have for clinicians involved in forensic psychology or for those interested in this exciting specialty."
Nicholas Greco IV MS
Abbott Laboratories ... Read more

Product Description

Criminal Behavior explores crime as a developmental process from birth through early adulthood. It further examines the role that legal, political, and criminal justice systems play in the development of criminal behavior. Criminal Behavior:

• takes into account biological, genetic, developmental, familial, social, educational, cultural, political, and economic factors correlated with crime;
• references actual cases and events to serve as examples of the principles introduced;
• critically examines the roles of the criminal and juvenile justice systems and methods of punishment in the development of and response to criminal behavior;
• explores the effects of crime on victims and looks at correlations between crimes and victim characteristics and behaviors;
• examines the role of childhood and adolescent behavioral and mental health disorders in the development of criminal behavior; and
• investigates the differences between criminals and the rest of society, and the differences and similarities between and among criminals.

Chock-full of personal anecdotes, this engaging text is unique in that it combines the experience of Doug Bernstein, a clinical psychologist and a successful textbook author, and Elaine Cassel, a practicing attorney who regularly teaches psychology and law. Organized around five dimensions related to the causes, characteristics, and consequences of crime, the book summarizes the programs that research suggest offer the best hope for doing a better job of dealing with crime in the 21st century. The authors argue that prevention is the key to dealing with crime, and present comprehensive suggestions for crime prevention.

The new edition features the latest criminal statistics available, as well as the most current research on the causes and correlations of crime and violence. Other highlights include: discussion of the latest brain-imaging research in psychopathy - how psychopaths' brains are different from "normal" brains; the latest on gang activities and how their venues have migrated to suburban and rural areas; terrorism and its roots; Internet crimes, especially sexual predator crimes; the latest research on how media violence, especially violent interactive video games, contributes to criminal behavior; the examination of drug and mental health courts as alternatives to punishment; and recent Supreme Court rulings eliminating the death penalty for juveniles and the mentally retarded.

Intended as a textbook for upper-level courses on criminal behavior, psychology and law, and developmental psychopathology taught in departments of psychology, criminology, criminal justice, law, and sociology and/or criminal justice training academies.

Product Description
What is criminal behavior?How is it identified?What is the role of the police and the courts?What is the evidence for hopes of controlling and changing criminal behavior?This book represents the systematic application of contemporary psychology to the study of crime, from biological factors, through child development to social learning.Feldman's work includes systematic contributions from sociology.The breadth of coverage and the firm base in psychology are unique in the current literature. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduction to Forensic Psychology is an original approach to understanding how psychologists impact the research, practice, and policy of crime, law, and justice. Written specifically for students, lay professionals, and practitioners, the text systematically examines police, court, and correctional aspects of forensic psychology. By further subdividing the text into the adult, juvenile, family, and civil components of forensic psychology, the author brings interdependence and overlap among these dimensions and the three broad thematic areas themselves into sharp, clear, and compelling focus. Contained within each of the 12 substantive chapters are series of timely issues or controversies that provocatively capture the significance of these relationships. Selected topics include incarceration of the mentally ill, the police as mediators in prison, competency to stand trial, treatment refusal rights, police stress and suicide, and sex offender treatment.
Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Issues and Controversies in Crime and Justice presents the debates about psychology, crime, law, and the intersections in an accessible, jargon-free fashion. It is a cross-disciplinary text relevant to the fields of psychology, law, criminal justice, social work, and public policy.

Key Features
* Integrative approach to the study of psychology, crime, and law
* Systematically focuses on police, court, and correctional dynamics of forensic psychology
* Canvasses the adult, juvenile, family, and civil aspects of forensic psychology with "cutting edge" issues or controversies
* A comprehensive sweep of important and provocative topics throughout the field, based on reader-friendly prose
* Relies heavily on case illustrations to guide the reader throughout each topic presented ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Author made the comment
Don't you luv it when the author writes his own review on the book?Goodness.

Intro to Forensic Psych
Intro to Forensic Psych was a rather enjoyable read for me.Although a textbook, I bought it out of curiousity of the subject and to read for my personal enjoyment.The grouping of the material was different from a usual textbook, and the author admits this in the introduction.His organization does not change the ease with which one can read the book, and it makes it so the reader may jump from topic to topic without having to worry about missing some piece of information that will be needed to understand the rest of the material.

Although the author briefly gives background needed to understand some aspects of psych testing or sociology theories, previous knowledge of this material (i.e. interpretation of MMPI results or specific knowledge of social psych or sociological explainations of deviance) served to make the material more relevant.

The only major fault I found with the book was the brevity and cursory discussion of each topic.However, this is an introduction book, and the author does point out that he could write an entire book on each individual section, had he the time.This "fault" was more because the information presented fascinated me, and I wanted to read as much as I could about it.

One thing that I would have liked to see more of was case histories, how forensic psych was applied and actual outcomes.Many of the vignettes given were ficticious and few, if any, clear solutions or outcomes were ever mentioned.

Were I to take a course with this book as the text, I would find it helpful mostly in introducing topics for dicussion or debate in smaller lectures, and a good place to explore the various aspects of forensic psych work that students might not have previously considered.It would also be useful as a starting point to find more information on any dicussed topic through the use of cited works.I enjoyed the book and the author's writing style as it wasn't overly dry, even for a textbook .I would consider buying other books written by this author as he demonstrated, to me at least, a mastery of the subject matter.

Designed for the beginning student of forensic psychology
Introduction To Forensic Psychology: Issues And Controversies In Crime And Justice is written and designed for the beginning student of forensic psychology and includes adult, juvenile, family, and civil components of this specialized discipline. Bruce Arrigo (California School of Professional Psychology, Fresno, California) presents an informative, "reader friendly" text covering the full spectrum of contemporary debate on crime, law, and psychology. Introduction To Forensic Psychology is very highly recommended reading for anyone studying psychology, law, the criminal justice system, or related public policy issues.

pretty good
I had recieved this book as a gift.I had wanted it for a while, because I someday hope to make a profession outof forensic psychology.Overall, this book was both intresting and informative.It had, for every topic there was, a real life parallell.The way it is organized, it is very easy to skip around, so you can basically read about what you want and not feel completely lost.The only downside to this book is that it sort of seemed like a very detailed outline. Every section was split the same way and had about a paragraph or two under it - I had expected a little more detail, shall we say.Also, I had expected a book such as this to me MUCH bigger, especially for the price.But like I said - overall it was intresting and informative, and quite educational.I learned many things, and was generally satisfied.Hope this helps!! ... Read more

Product Description
* Includes established theories and cutting-edge developments.
* Presents the work of an international group of experts.
* Presents the nature, origin, implications, an future course of major unresolved issues in the area. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

fast and easy!
this is book is "used" and it is in perfect shape~ i highly recommend user =)

Great Book. Full of Insight
I love this book. It has madly informed me of the inside information of the forensic psychology world.

excellent resource!!!
edited by goldstein and weiner, and written by premier experts in each niche of forensic psychology, i find it to be a (usually) fairly exhaustive review and analysis of the major topics in the field.all chapters are very well written, most are very readable.good abpp review book as well as general reference book. at $160, it's expensive, but, in my opinion, it was worth the price.

Sorry I didn't buy this sooner!
I learned about this book at a conference. It's by far the most up-to-date, thorough treatment of major topics in the field of forensic psychology.I find myself referring to it on a regular basis.

The Gold Standard
The authors of each chapter are a "Who's Who" of forensic psychology.This book presents the most up-to-date information on every important topic in the field, including evaluation methodology, case law, and research.I find that I refer to it regularly when writing reports, planning for testimony, and in my teaching.It is informative, practical, and interesting to read on its own. ... Read more

Product Description

Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists are increasingly asked to provide expertise to courts and attorneys in the criminal justice system. To do so effectively, they must stay abreast of important advances in the understanding of legal standards as well as new developments in sophisticated measures and the methods for their assessment. Fundamentals of Forensic Practice is designed to address the critical issues that are faced by mental health experts in their role of conducting assessments, presenting findings, and preparing for challenges to admissibility and credibility.

Uniquely practical and comprehensive, this volume operationalizes legal standards and describes empirically validated methods for their evaluation. Not only is this essential for mental health professionals, but it is equally valuable to criminal attorneys. Lawyers require both clinical knowledge and understanding of legal standards in order to prepare their own experts and to challenge those on the opposing side. For both clinical and legal experts Fundamentals of Forensic Practice offers a full view of all phases of criminal proceedings:

- Pretrial—diversion, determinations of bail, waivers of Miranda rights, and the capacity to consent to searches.

- Trial—competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility. Beyond insanity, the latter addresses mens rea, automatism, and psychological context evidence, such as battered-woman syndrome.

- Post-trial—sentencing, capital sentencing, competency to be executed, and other post-conviction issues.

Other key features include:

- Chapters on specific criminal issues in a consistent format, with comprehensive coverage of legal standards and relevant clinical methods

- Guidelines for conducting more effective forensic evaluations

- In-depth coverage of specialized assessments, eg. malingering, sexual predator cases, and the insanity defense.

- A detailed overview of direct and cross-examination strategies

This book is the second collaboration between Rogers and Shuman. As individual authors, each received the American Psychiatric Association’s prestigious Guttmacher Award for their outstanding contributions to forensic psychiatry.

Customer Reviews (2)

Fundamental of Forensic Practice:Mental Health and Criminal Law
While being a very scholarly yet easy to read book, the authors take an interesting position between law and psychology.They seem to implicitly favor "technique" in forensic evaluations complete with methods used by lawyers to tear psychologists down.And while there may be psychologists who do not adhere to the best practices, which needs to be pointed out, the authors completely ignore the sleazy tactics used by attorneys who use whatever they can find to discredit a witness, and/or confuse the testimony, all for the sake of winning.The authors unwittingly or unknowingly fail to address this issue.The tactics are emphasized without sufficient reference to factual accuracy.An example of this would be attorneys who use the authors referenced tactics to confuse testimony by psychologists and keep jurors confused, thus weakening the opponents case.What would have been preferred was methods to help reduce and or eliminate such attempts by attorneys along with some real psychological tactics for psychologist to use to make evident to jurors, that the lawyer is attempting to confuse the facts and move away from a genuine (and truthful) understanding of the matter at hand.
In that attorneys are generally regarded as one of the least admired professions in various surveys and psychologists are more highly rated, let's not do anything as psychologists to narrow that gap.
Thomas M. Kozak, Ph.D.

indispensible for criminal trial lawyers
Richard Rogers, Ph.D., has long been recognized as perhaps the leading expert on malingering in the United States.He and a law school professor, Daniel Shuman, have co-authored a great book on forensic mental health issues which has just been released:Fundamentals of Forensic Practice:Mental Health and Criminal Law (Springer Publications, 2005) by Richard Rogers and Daniel W. Shuman.The book covers the major issues addressed by mental health experts in criminal cases (e.g., insanity, competency, responsibility, penalty phase aggravation and
mitigation, risk assessment), as well as the different stages of
proceedings (e.g., diversion, bail motions, trial, sentencing, civil commitments, competency to be executed).As one might expect, it details how a forensic mental health expert should go about performing a reliable evaluation, including addressing the various issues that are inherent in mental health evaluations (e.g., malingering).However, of perhaps even greater benefit to trial attorneys who practice criminal law, the book includes
suggested cross examination questions in many areas which are crucial to evaluating the credibility and reliability of the mental health expert's testimony.Indeed, the suggested cross examination questions--which are simply excellent--can be used by both prosecution and defense attorneys to expose unreliable aspects of the expert's conclusions.At the same time, by becoming familiar with the book's recommended approach
and suggested cross-examination, trial lawyers can go a long ways towards producing testimony by mental health experts which is credible, reliable and persuasive, and will stand up to cross-examination.

I strongly recommend this book to any attorney who is presenting or confronting testimony by any mental health expert. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides an accessible introduction to the increasingly popular subject of criminal psychology. It explores the application of psychology to understanding the crime phenomenon, criminal behaviour, solving crimes, the court process and punishment, rehabilitation and crime prevention. It will be an invaluable resource for anybody taking courses in this field, in particular students taking the criminal psychology/forensic psychology components of introductory psychology specifications. The book is fully in line with the new A level specifications being taught from September 2009. Each chapter includes case studies, key studies, evaluations and a range of discussion questions. ... Read more

Product Description
Few things should go together better than psychology and law - and few things are getting together less successfully. Edited by four psychologists and a lawyer, and drawing on contributions from Europe, the USA and Australia, Applying Psychology to Criminal Justice argues that psychology should be applied more widely within the criminal justice system. Contributors develop the case for successfully applying psychology to justice by providing a rich range of applicable examples for development now and in the future. Readers are encouraged to challenge the limited ambition and imagination of psychology and law by examining how insights in areas such as offender cognition and decision-making under pressure might inform future investigation and analysis. ... Read more

Product Description
The authors bring the "person" back into criminology by focusing on understanding individual differences in criminal conduct and recognizing the importance of personal, interpersonal, and community factors. What results is a truly interdisciplinary general personality and social psychology of criminal behavior that is open to a wide variety of factors that relate to individual differences - a perspective with both theoretical and practical significance in North America and Great Britain.The book is now organized into four parts: (1) The Theoretical Context and Knowledge Base to the Psychology of Criminal Conduct, (2) The Major Risk/Need Factors of Criminal Conduct, (3) Applications, and (4) Summary and Conclusions. Chapters include helpful Resource Notes that explain important concepts. A selection of technical notes, separated from the general text, allows the advanced student to explore complex research without distracting readers from the main points. Resource notes throughout explain important concepts. Technical notes at the back of the book allow the advanced student to explore complex research without distracting readers from the main points. An acronym index is also provided. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good basic text for forensic psychology
This is a good text to get the idea behind risk and need assessment in forensic psychology.Although a bit dry, it is what is being used within the field today, so is very relevant.

A great buy
Andrews and Bonta capture the essence of modern thinking about "What works" in criminal justice.They present a detailed history of how the "nothing works" thinking influenced the administration ofcorrections and justice.They also provide a wonderfully succinct guide tofactors which are the important components of effective programming withoffenders.Everyone who works with offenders should read this.

Great for Research!
I thought this book was superbly written.As an undergraduate student, Ifound this book extremely helpful in my forensic psychology seminar, aswell as interesting.I would highly recommend this book to anyoneinterested in criminology and/or psychology. ... Read more

Product Description
The Psychology of Stalking is the first scholarly book on stalking ever published. Virtually every serious writer and researcher in this area of criminal psychopathology has contributed a chapter. These chapters explore stalking from social, psychiatric, psychological and behavioral perspectives. New thinking and data are presented on threats, pursuit characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, offender-victim typologies, cyberstalking, false victimization syndrome, erotomania, stalking and domestic violence, the stalking of public figures, and many other aspects of stalking, as well as legal issues. This landmark text is of interest to both professionals and other thoughtful individuals who recognize the serious nature of this ominous social behavior.

Key Features
* First scholarly book on stalking ever published
* Contributions from virtually all major researchers in field
* Discussion of what to do when being stalked
* Uses examples from recent publicized cases ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Junk from an all American quack
This is the witch doctor whose second-hand shrinking (he never actually met the patient) led to the imprisonment of Timothy Lee Masters for the murder of Peggy Hettrick, a crime we now know he did not commit.An innocent man went to prison for a decade because of the sexual fantasies of Jerk Reid Meloy who like Nostrodamus imagines his powers of perception to be so acute that he can solve murders by viewing the margin doodles of a normal fifteen year old boy.

Not once in this book, nor any other book, have Meloy's theories been substantiated using a standard double-blind scientific method.This is wacko academia at its worst:loud talking and unsubstantiated fantasy on the same level as palmistry or phrenology.

Good Read!
Great intro to stalking behavior and the signs, symptoms, and preventive measures one can take. I found this book informative, well-researched, and insightful. Certainly, a good resource for anyone interested in stalking, domestic violence, or general offender behavior.

great book
great book.good look from a psychological standpoint.Very imformative.He ties together information on threats, stalking and assassination.

This book does not treat cases of multiple stalkers,....
I am a licensed psychotherapist with a personal and professional interest in 'multiple stalking' cases, in which a perpetrator organizes other individuals, likely strangers to the victim, to stalk and harass a feared or hated target individual, often over the internet.

This is a basic, beginning book, written in 1998 and way behind in filling the need, considering the proliferation of actual crimes originating on the internet especially those in which a single website recruits or incites multiple individuals, usually strangers, as stalkers against one individual. In addition, unfortunately, this well-meaning but limited book has likely set back law enforcement help for victims of multiple-stalker, internet-originating crimes by years:

In particular, the chapter on 'false victimization' is unnecessary and could well have been left out as it gives inexperienced, overburdened or uncaring law enforcement personnel, as they read the chapter about a variety of cases which at first sound like legitimate stalking cases but turn out to be false alarms, rationale to superimpose them upon all pleas to law enforcement for help, and justification to dismiss out of hand legitimate cases as illegitimate -- without investigation.

Other examples of little or no cyberstalking training (in the LAPD; there is no cyberstalking section though the law now mandates it): A lone law enforcement individual manning the phone at LAPD's 'cyberstalking' section has said, 'cyberstalking is threatening e-mails -- period!'(2001).(This misapprehension is not discredited in Meloy's book.)Another LAPD detective, a woman, said, 'Just don't go on line', and when she heard about skin-burning chemicals inserted in the victim's newspapers, 'Just stop taking the newspaper'. Another detective, when hearing about a rationally-described but complicated case of internet-originated stalking and harassment insisted that the victim go into a psychiatric facility for a three-day hold in order to 'determine what is going on' -- this is without the first attempt at interview or investigation. Other detectives, more restrained, have explained that they need 'proof' before even beginning an investigation and gathering proof,leaving the victim in a helpless, catch-22 situation (and, being put off by the multiple-stalker nature of the crime as described refused to look at the evidence at hand).

There are now many published accounts of individuals who have been targeted by people who want them dead or distracted (or, in some cases, discredited, as victims are often disbelieved when there are no witnesses and the harassment takes forms which leave little in the way of evidence)and who use the internet to accomplish such a crime without their risking being an actual part of it. One was of a woman who, working for Housing and Urban Development, had tried to integrate an all-white neighborhood. A white-supremicist set up a website and put her and her 18-year old daughter's personal information on it, inciting others to go after them. They had to move from house to house, state to state; each time the website updated their new, 'secret' information. (Finally, HUD sued this operator on the woman's behalf and won; it is unclear if he has stopped his mischief.) Another is of an editor of a progressive Jewish publication which has criticized Israel for being too hard on the Palestinians; he had death threats and had his address, phones, family names, published on a radical fundamentalist Israeli website, inciting strangers to make frequent death threats. Another victim, a grown woman, who confronted her paranoid and psychopathic father with the fact of her childhood sexual abuse by him later found herself a target of unknown people for years before finding out her father, who was afraid without reason of being incarcerated was behind it; she was forced to move from house to house, ending up incarcerated inside her own home due to the types of 'non-provable', 'high-tech' harassment techniques used by her father's cohorts (paid, or recruited over the internet)and cut off from other members of her family by her father's making sure everyone knew about his previously respected daughter's 'delusions of persecution'. --In this case, virtually every technique used, when spoken about, did sound like the delusions of a paranoid schizophrenic; such discrediting was the point of the crime, though the facts in this case were true.(Psychotherapists, take heed.)

Meloy doesn't mention multiple stalkers in his book, in fact, denigrates such stories by default and by being too vague in describing the differences between false and real cases (investigators 'had the feeling' the case was false), doing nothing to prevent law enforcement, with little more in the way of studies to go on, from concluding that more often than not a given case is 'self-harm' or simply a lie.

Psychotherapists: Many or most psychotherapists also have no choice, not hearing or knowing about the increasing multiple stalking cases (and being themselves too shocked at such stories and in denial -- as the society was about child abuse, wife-beating and one-person stalking for decades before acknowledging the seriousness and actuality of these crimes; and as we all were about the reality of terrorist threats to our nation though there was plenty of evidence for years apparently that these threats were real) they leap to the conclusion that their client is delusional. In fact, to be fair, most multiple-stalking cases are burgeoning exponentially, at the same rate as the internet, and all of this is new. (As Meloy, to his credit, attests, and he gives sound reasons why a person, who might not have been a criminal before the advent of the internet, might resort to deadly and terrorizing tactics when he thinks the internet will allow him impunity. p. 12)

There are now two cyberstalking laws in California (written after the book was written); one convicted a man (named Delapenta) who had set up a website in the name of a woman he had been turned down by for a date. He had published her name, address, phone, and ways to bypass her security system on this site; he said (as if he was she) 'she' wanted to be raped and to ignore any calls for help she might make -- that this was just part of 'her' game. The young woman was terrified at the calls and visits by strange men and remained so for at least a year after the perpetrator was caught (by her father spending weeks searching on line at first and then pretending to be a website visitor, and by two men who came to her door admitting what was going on; not by any police investigation).

There are many such stories which have been published, which make use of personal identity information on the internet, including photographs (in one known case, brazenly taken head-on of the victim by strangers with long-distance lenses in food stores, concerts, in an empty hotel lobby after a conference, across a children's playground of herself and her grandchild -- the stunned victim found that the photographers drove away in cars which had no license plates), to recruit and evoke stranger-stalkers to target one individual. Some sites might be 'dead pool' sites, which include gambling on the person's death date --this is an effective come-on as, unlike 'hate sites', 'players' have the impetus of winning money or earning it through individual assaults or 'attacks'. These may be like a computer game, but in which a real person has been chosen (likely by a known perpetrator, maybe a family member -- like the father who was afraid without cause that he, himself, would become incarcerated or abandoned if his abuse of his daugher came to light)to be the target in real life. Some of the sites may require illicitly shared software in order to 'play' and the website may not be findable by ordinary search techniques. A person playing this 'game' might get points for making one or more assaults of some kind on the victim, terrorizing her/him and possibly hastening his/her death by suicide or homicide. There was one such report (1997) of a Dungeons and Dragons game, originating on the internet but played out on the street, which resulted in the suicides of three terrified teenagers.

Clearly a new book needs to be written, and soon, incorporating all the now-known cases of multiple (stranger)stalkers elicited on the internet targeting a single individual as well as the continued gap in law enforcement between what needs to be known about how to investigate these cases (sophisticated cyber-training and sections in police departments devoted to such crimes) and how victims are being treated today. Likely legistatures need to vote money toward these sections and not just make new cybercrime laws.

This book does not treat cases of multiple stalkers,....
I am a licensed psychotherapist with a personal and professional interest in 'multiple stalking' cases, in which a perpetrator organizes other individuals, likely strangers to the victim, to stalk and harass a feared or hated target individual, often over the internet.

This is a basic, beginning book, written in 1998 and way behind in filling the need, considering the proliferation of actual crimes originating on the internet especially those in which a single website recruits or incites multiple individuals, usually strangers, as stalkers against one individual. In addition, unfortunately, this well-meaning but limited book has likely set back law enforcement help for victims of multiple-stalker, internet-originating crimes by years:

In particular, the chapter on 'false victimization' is unnecessary and could well have been left out as it gives inexperienced, overburdened or uncaring law enforcement personnel, as they read the chapter about a variety of cases which at first sound like legitimate stalking cases but turn out to be false alarms, rationale to superimpose them upon all pleas to law enforcement for help, and justification to dismiss out of hand legitimate cases as illegitimate -- without investigation.

Other examples of little or no cyberstalking training (in the LAPD; there is no cyberstalking section though the law now mandates it): A lone law enforcement individual manning the phone at LAPD's 'cyberstalking' section has said, 'cyberstalking is threatening e-mails -- period!' (2001)(This misapprehension is not discredited in Meloy's book.)Another LAPD detective, a woman, said, 'Just don't go on line' and when she heard about skin-burning chemicals inserted in the victim's newspapers, 'Just stop taking the newspaper'. Another detective, when hearing about a rationally-described but complicated case of internet-originated stalking and harassment insisted that the victim go into a psychiatric facility for a three-day hold in order to 'determine what is going on' -- this is without the first attempt at interview or investigation. Other detectives, more restrained, have explained that they need 'proof' before even beginning an investigation and gathering proof,leaving the victim in a helpless, catch-22 situation (and, being put off by the multiple-stalker nature of the crime as described refused to look at the evidence at hand). (...) ... Read more

Product Description
Quickly acquire the knowledge and skills you need to confidently administer, score, and interpret the key assessment instruments used by forensic psychologists

Mental health professionals are frequently called on to perform forensic assessments for a wide variety of court cases. To use these instruments properly, professionals need an authoritative source of advice and guidance on how to administer, score, and interpret them. Now fully revised and in a second edition, Essentials of Forensic Psychological Assessment is that source.

The Second Edition is completely updated to reflect current research and theory in the field, including the most recent codes and standards published by the American Psychological Association. In addition, this volume offers updated coverage of the most frequently used instruments in forensic psychological assessments, including the MMPI®-2 and MMPI-2-RF, PAI®, Rorschach®, ASPECT, and various neuropsychological assessment instruments.

Like all the volumes in the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series, this book is designed to help busy mental health practitioners, and those in training, quickly acquire the knowledge and skills they need to make optimal use of major psychological assessment instruments. Each concise chapter features numerous callout boxes highlighting key concepts, bulleted points, and extensive illustrative material, as well as test questions that help you gauge and reinforce your grasp of the information covered.

Written by a noted forensic psychologist, the Second Edition offers in-depth coverage of maltreatment and domestic violence, as well as the assessment of recidivism, fitness to stand trial, civil commitment, substance abuse assessment, custody evaluations, personal injury assessments, and many other aspects of forensic mental health practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Superficial and mediocre
This book has a superficial review of issues in forensic psychology.Perhaps useful for a student in an initial review of the subject, it lacks any depth for the practitioner who is generalizing skills into specific areas in the forensic domain.I am sure there are more useful and valuable books for the practitioner.

Mediocre
The book was just okay as a very basic overview, but I was disappointed.A very superificial overview of each topic that was presented, much was redundant from other texts.For example, how many times can one read about using the MMPI-2 in forensic assessments.Furthermore, the cover said that the book covered newer malingering instruments, such as the MPS.However, the coverage of the MPS was about 7 lines and pretty useless.

Essential Reading
Any psychologist considering or currently working in the field of forensics will benefit from this book. Essential reading.

Essentials of Forensic Psychological Assessment
A must read for individuals involved in Forensic evaluations! Informative. Clear. Relevant. The reader will greatly benefit from the contributors advice, experience and suggestions pertaining to a number of forensicissues. ... Read more

Product Description
People are horrified when parents kill their children, yet this act occurs daily on a global basis. Endangered Children: Neonaticide, Infanticide and Filicide provides a psychological, sociological, and criminological perspective of these acts, as the authors answer the many questions that arise from these crimes.With an emphasis on neonaticide in terms of motives, alternatives, defenses offered, and penalties imposed, this book will be of interest to everyone from social workers to attorneys. A secondary area of focus is infanticide and filicide, again with attention paid to motives, defenses, and legal outcomes. Particular attention is paid to psychological/psychiatric defenses that have been offered and their impact as reported in law review articles and elsewhere.Despite universal reprobation, neonaticide and infanticide have been practiced on every continent and by people on every level of intellectual complexity. This text will examine the mothers of the victims in terms of background and motives along with the role, if any, that mental illness plays in the death of their children.What sets the stage for a parent of a newborn to abandon it to an almost certain death? What motives underlie such an act? Do the attitudes and laws regarding abortion have any relation to neonaticide?These questions, as well as many others will be answered in societal, religious and legal terms. Professionals and the lay public alike need to understand why these incidents occur and what actions can be undertaken to reduce them in the future. ... Read more

Product Description
Taken from published reviews: "…Dr Blackburn has written a remarkably good book; indeed, the best book on the topic—from either side of the Atlantic—I have read. … the breadth of the authors knowledge is nothing short of encyclopaedic. Not only psychology—developmental and social, as well as clinical—but also psychiatry, biology, philosophy, and law are addressed in this volume. Finally, the book is written with clarity, economy, and a lucid style. It is as inviting and user-friendly as any work of such complexity can be. … I hope that it will find its way into psychiatry residency training programmes as well. It could do wonders for replacing turf-battles with common ground." Criminal Behaviour & Mental Health "…The scholarly breadth and accuracy of this work are remarkable. There seems to be no important contribution to our psychological understanding of crime which Blackburn has omitted to discuss, including those approaches from sociological and social psychology which are frequently neglected in straightforward psychological treatments. Moreover, all approaches are intelligently and sympathetically discussed." Expert Evidence "…The volume is infused with the authors enthusiasm for a social cognitive perspective on offending behaviour, but he also robustly defends the utility of the notion of personality traits. …Overall, this book brings together a vast array of research and theory examined from the perspective of the clinician involved with the individual. It will almost certainly become the key background text for post-graduate courses teaching forensic psychology and would be a valuable addition to the bookshelf of any clinician with forensic concerns." Clinical Psychology Forum "…This is undoubtedly an important book. …The end result is a book of excellent quality, which I recommend most warmly to clinical psychologists, and indeed, to anybody who is interested in ‘criminological psychology." Behaviour Research and Therapy "…This author is to be congratulated for having produced this impressive volume. It provides a comprehensive review which is critical yet well-balanced. It assumes no prior familiarity with the field, and specialists from many different disciplines will learn a great deal from it." Criminal Law Review ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Review of Blackburn
Excellent introduction and some in-depth coverage of just about everything relevent to criminological psychology. If Blackburn is not specialised enough, there are plenty of details for further reading. A 'must have'! ... Read more

Product Description
Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) has grown into a specialization informed by research and professional guidelines. This series presents up-to-date information on the most important and frequently conducted forms of FMHA. The 19 topical volumes address best approaches to practice for particular types of evaluation in the criminal, civil, and juvenile/family areas. Each volume contains a thorough discussion of the relevant legal and psychological concepts, followed by a step-by-step description of the assessment process from preparing for the evaluation to writing the report and testifying in court.

Volumes include the following helpful features:

- Boxes that zero in on important information for use in evaluations

- Tips for best practice and cautions against common pitfalls

- Highlighting of relevant case law and statutes

- Separate list of assessment tools for easy reference

- Helpful gloassary of key terms for the particular topic

In making recommendations for best practice, authors consider empirical support, legal relevance, and consistency with ethical and professional standards. These volumes offer invaluable guidance for anyone involved in conducting or using forensic evaluations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Essential reference tool
This little book is an essential reference tool for forensic mental health practitioners who evaluate juveniles, as well as for the attorneys who represent them. You will not find this much comprehensive, up-to-date information on juvenile competency to stand trial (CST) evaluations in any other single source. Despite its jam-packed nature, it is easy to get through in a brief amount of time. That is because it is so clearly written, with charts that help explain the concepts.

Rather than providing a single, dogmatic approach to this challenging area of practice, Kruh and Grisso articulate the strengths and weaknesses of various methods. They carefully cite their sources for each proposition, so that you can easily get further information. Grisso is the number one expert on competency, and the author of the pioneering book Evaluating Competencies: Forensic Assessments and Instruments (Perspectives in Law & Psychology) as well as a manual specific to juvenile competency evaluation. Kruh is also an expert with both research and practice experience in this specialized area.

Unlike another volume in this new "Best Practices in Forensic Mental Health Assessment" series from Oxford University Press that I reviewed here on Amazon, this book does not shy away from complexities and controversies, of which there are many. There is a thorough review, complete with charts and tables, of the different legal standards that may apply to juvenile CST (e.g., the adult norms, adjusted bar, lower bar, and flexible bar approaches). Several pages are devoted to the important controversy surrounding whether evaluators should provide an opinion on the "ultimate issue" of competency. We get a great, up-to-the-moment summary of research and best practices for defining and measuring developmental maturity. The authors provide valuable discussions on such practical matters as the pros and cons of interviewing a youth and his or her caretakers separately or together.

If you read this book and meticulously follow its recommendations in conjunction with co-author Grisso's 2005 Evaluating Juveniles' Adjudicative Competence: A Guide for Clinical Practice (which includes a CD-ROM of interview guides), you can't go wrong.

I would recommend that if you are doing competency evaluations you also check out another strong entry in this series, Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial (Best Practices for Forensic Mental Health Assessment). The authors, Patricia Zapf and Ronald Roesch, are leaders in the field and the book is another comprehensive yet not overwhelming reference tool.

The Most Important Book that you will read on Competency Issues for Juveniles standing Trial
For any practitioner-lawyer, psychologist, social worker or other, working in the Juvenile Justice system, this book is not only a must read, but a must own reference guide.I can not strongly enough laud the research and writing contained herein.A MUST READ/MUST HAVE!!! ... Read more