Forensic Reports & Testimony: A Guide to Effective
Communication for Psychologists and Psychiatrists provides a
roadmap for the mental health professional who wants to provide
consistently accurate, defensible, and useful reports and testimony
to the legal system. Authors Randy K. Otto, Richart L. De Mier, and
Marcus Boccaccini, recognized experts in the field, cover all
aspects of the process, including preparing affidavits and reports,
preparing for depositions, and testifying.
Every written or spoken communication for the courts must be
clear and precise, and distinguish between facts, inferences, and
opinions. This book uniquely:
*Shows the critical differences between forensic
psychological reports and the clinical reports psychologists and
psychiatrists are accustomed to writing
*Includes and explains important maxims of forensic report
writing, including separating facts from inferences, focusing on
offering expert opinions, explaining why you think what you think,
and connecting the dots between facts and conclusions
*Provides numerous examples of experts’ testimony,
affidavits, reports-with commentary and critiques
Expert forensic work deserves to be presented in a clear,
precise, and understandable way so that it is useful to attorneys,
judges, and juries. Forensic Reports & Testimony
provides the guidelines and models forensic psychologists and
forensic psychiatrists need to make that happen.
Cuprins
Foreword Thomas Grisso, ph.d. vii
Preface xi
About the authors xv
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Chapter 2 Functions of Forensic Reports 9
Chapter 3 Content of Forensic Reports 17
Chapter 4 Principles of Forensic Reports 34
Chapter 5 Structure of Forensic Reports 54
Chapter 6 Interrogatories, Affidavits, Declarations, Demonstrative Exhibits, and Demonstrative Aids 91
Chapter 7 Conceptual Issues Regarding Testimony 97
Chapter 8 Testifying at Depositions 118
Chapter 9 Testifying in Admissibility Hearings 129
Chapter 10 Pretrial Preparation 137
Chapter 11 Direct Examination 151
Chapter 12 Cross-Examination 171
Appendix A Sample Reports 223
Appendix B Sample Affidavits and Declaration 315
References 341
Author index 355
Subject index 361
Despre autor
RANDY K. OTTO, Ph D, ABPP, Associate Professor, Department of Mental Health Law & Policy at the University of South is board certified in forensic psychology and clinical psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He has served as President of the American Board of Professional Psychology, the American Psychology-Law Society, the American Board of Forensic Psychology, and the American Academy of Forensic Psychology.
RICHART L. De MIER, Ph D, ABPP, is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is retired from the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, where he conducted forensic evaluations and served as Director of Clinical Training for the facility’s internship and postdoctoral fellowship programs. He is currently the Director of Clinical Training at the School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute, in Springfield, Missouri.
MARCUS T. BOCCACCINI, Ph D, Professor, Department of Psychology and Philosophy at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas has published more than 75 articles relating to the intersection of psychology and the legal system. His research focuses on agreement among expert witnesses and field research in forensic psychology.