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Libraries supporting a forensic psychology undergraduate and/or graduate level college program need to collect materials from a range of disciplines – psychology, law, psychiatry…
Abstract
Libraries supporting a forensic psychology undergraduate and/or graduate level college program need to collect materials from a range of disciplines – psychology, law, psychiatry and criminal justice. This guide identifies the major reference works, journals, databases and other resources that should be in a good forensic psychology collection.
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The purpose of the present study is to analyze highly cited articles and global research emphases and trends of law and psychiatry (L&P) research during the period of 1993 to 2012…
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Purpose
The purpose of the present study is to analyze highly cited articles and global research emphases and trends of law and psychiatry (L&P) research during the period of 1993 to 2012 from the Web of Science (WOS) database. Besides the analysis of highly cited articles to learn about the classic articles and intellectual base of the L&P research domain, an attempt is made to detect research emphases and trends of the study field.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study applies quantitative analyses of citations of scientific publications to find highly cited articles and summarizes research hotspots and trends on L&P research articles from WOS during 1993-2012 using statistical analysis of words in titles, KeyWords Plus, author keywords and co-keywords.
Findings
The top 21 highly cited articles of research on L&P were found; most of the highly cited papers used survey research to measure patterns of violence of psychiatric patients. This present study identified forensic psychiatry, mental health and criminal offenders were the continuing mainstream topics in the L&P field and risk assessment, risk factors and risk management of violent behavior, legislation for sexual offences, mental health courts, recidivism and expert testimony were recent research emphases and trends of the study field. On the contrary, psychiatric hospitalization, psychiatrist-patient, community and services were not mainstream topics in the study field and were of decreasing importance and popularity in L&P research. Additionally, the topics of violent behavior and risk assessment have developed to a significant subgroup of L&P research. Finally, research emphases and trends in the L&P field were found based on the co-keywords cluster map and density map.
Originality/value
This is the first study to quantify and detect research emphases and trends in L&P from the WOS during 1993-2012, which may provide the groundwork for future studies of the L&P research domain, and offer some important suggestions and implications for professional researchers, specialists, publications’ editors and public policy makers concerned with the domain.
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Forensic nursing is a term applied to nurses working in many different areas of clinical practice, such as high security hospitals, medium secure units, low secure units, acute…
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Forensic nursing is a term applied to nurses working in many different areas of clinical practice, such as high security hospitals, medium secure units, low secure units, acute mental health wards, specialised private hospitals, psychiatric intensive care units, court liaison schemes, and outpatient, community and rehabilitation services. Rarely is the term defined in the general literature and as a concept it is multifaceted. Concept analysis is a method for exploring and evaluating the meaning of words. It gives precise definitions, both theoretical and operational, for use in theory, clinical practice and research. A concept analysis provides a logical basis for defining terms and helps us to refine and define a concept that derives from practice, research and theory. This paper uses the strategy of concept analysis to explore the term ‘forensic nursing’ and finds a working definition of forensic mental health nursing. The historical background and literature are reviewed using concept analysis to bring the term into focus and to define it more clearly. Forensic nursing is found to derive from forensic practice. A proposed definition of forensic nursing is given.
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The purpose of this paper is to assess the training forensic mental health professionals in the USA receive on intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Given the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the training forensic mental health professionals in the USA receive on intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Given the difficulties obtaining accurate prevalence rates of these disabilities in criminal justice settings, it is important to understand how these disabilities are being evaluated and the level of understanding about these disabilities evaluators hold.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was distributed to forensic mental health professionals in the USA that included questions on training opportunities in graduate education, post-graduate forensic training, and professional training opportunities. Participants were also asked about their current work, how they assess I/DD, and their estimates on the percentage of cases they see with I/DD.
Findings
Respondents reported some training that focused heavily on assessment methods. Most respondents estimated between 5 and 25 percent of their cases involving I/DD and reported using a wide range of assessment methods. Finally, many respondents reporting more training needed in this area.
Practical implications
More training is needed for forensic mental health professionals on identifying I/DD. Additionally, professional guidelines on what tools and methods to rely on to identify these disabilities is paramount to ensure homogeneity of methods and, thus, better estimates of overall prevalence in criminal justice settings.
Originality/value
This is the first assessment focused on how forensic mental health professionals are trained to identify I/DD and can be used to improve identification of I/DD in forensic settings.
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Brendan M. O'Mahony, Kevin Smith and Becky Milne
The purpose of this paper is to examine how Registered Intermediaries are used in the England and Wales to facilitate communication between vulnerable witnesses, victims and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how Registered Intermediaries are used in the England and Wales to facilitate communication between vulnerable witnesses, victims and police investigators and criminal courts.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper focuses on the need for early identification of the vulnerable person so that support measures can be put in place from the outset to assist them to provide their testimony.
Findings
It is noted that real progress has been made by the introduction of legislation, specifically the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act (1999), and the uptake by the police service of the subsequent special measures put in place. However, the criminal justice service cannot afford to be complacent as research demonstrates that the police and the courts need to be more effective in managing these issues.
Originality/value
The paper recommends that support measures are widened to include witnesses and suspects being interviewed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, HM Customs and Revenue, the Department of Health and the Department of Work and Pensions.
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Catherine Gardner-Elahi and Sannam Zamiri
Narrative Therapy offers thinking and practices which can support the development of narratives of desistance and recovery. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the two ways in…
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Purpose
Narrative Therapy offers thinking and practices which can support the development of narratives of desistance and recovery. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the two ways in which collective narrative practice has been used in a Low Secure Forensic Recovery Service: The Tree of Life and the Knowledge Group, including the evaluation of the Knowledge Group.
Design/methodology/approach
The therapeutic approach taken was collective narrative practice. The evaluation design for the Knowledge Group was service user led, resulting in a qualitative approach: a focus group that was thematically analysed.
Findings
Collective narrative practice offered service users the opportunity to enhance their narratives of strength and desistance, and to contribute socially by sharing this with others. This encouraged the development of identities beyond the “patient” and “offender” identities. It gave service users the opportunity to take a position of expertise and power where they were listened to and respected.
Research limitations/implications
There is a wide range of possibility for the creative use of these strategies in forensic settings. They are a useful addition to the forensic practitioner’s toolkit.
Practical implications
There is a wide range of possibility for the creative use of these strategies in forensic settings. They are a useful addition to the forensic practitioner’s toolkit.
Social implications
Collective narrative practice positions service users as taking social action, for example sharing their experiences with other services users, in educational contexts and for wider social understanding.
Originality/value
The therapeutic interventions described offer a promising approach which has not yet been fully exploited for use in forensic mental health services, including a novel approach to collective narrative practice.
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Suzanne David and Brian H. Kleiner
Briefly introduces the concept of forensic psychology, looking at areas such as stalking behaviour, self‐mutilation, and execution competency. Suggests that the forensic…
Abstract
Briefly introduces the concept of forensic psychology, looking at areas such as stalking behaviour, self‐mutilation, and execution competency. Suggests that the forensic psychiatrist needs to remain up to date with recent sexual harassment legislation, the use of neuropsychological testing and the assessment of child abuse. Covers other subjects including hate crime on the Internet, and psychological autopsy. Concludes that to uphold the high principles required by law and to withstand scrutiny by defence lawyers, forensic psychology has defined standards by which to judge a persion and studies continue to develop these measures.
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The purpose of this paper was to assess whether the criteria that have been developed by mental health professionals to judge the quality of child custody reports matches the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to assess whether the criteria that have been developed by mental health professionals to judge the quality of child custody reports matches the criteria employed by members of the legal profession.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reviews the literature on the standards that have been developed to assess the quality of child custody reports and compare it to the criteria used by attorneys and judges.
Findings
The broad criteria used by mental health professionals in assessing the quality of child custody reports mostly matches those employed by judges and attorneys.
Research limitations/implications
There is limited research that focusses on a detailed, qualitative analysis of each component of a child custody report.
Practical implications
Is it essential that a qualitative analysis of child custody reports be performed because it would impact on how professional approach such evaluations.
Originality/value
Having research focussing on a detailed qualitative analysis of child custody evaluations may enhance the quality of such products.
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Forensic nursing is a fast‐developing branch of psychiatric nursing and now at an international level covers many aspects of practice. As its field of study develops to…
Abstract
Forensic nursing is a fast‐developing branch of psychiatric nursing and now at an international level covers many aspects of practice. As its field of study develops to incorporate working with vicyims, survivors and offenders, it becomes increasingly important to establish the evidence base for the practice areas. This paper outlines these developing areas and highlights the expansive nature when see from an international perspective.