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Featuring numerous case studies to illustrate the applicability of the information provided, this book serves as an excellent text for all psychologists considering a career in forensic work as well as any working psychologist who may find themselves in a court setting.
The book achieves a fine balance between the need to be at once comprehensive and practical. If readers adhere to the sage advice contained in this book it will leave little room for judges to complain about the quality of psychological reports as they often have been justified in doing so in the past. James R. P. Ogloff, Professor of Clinical Forensic Psychology and Director, Centre for Behavioural Science, Monash University
logists e for Psycho id u G l a c ti c A Pra
Working in Forensic Contexts
www. AUSTRALIAN ACADEMIC PRESS
.com
WRITING REPORTS FOR COURT
This text examines relevant mental health state legislation relating to criminal, civil and family courts and then sets out a logical structure for writing reports for such matters. The use of psychological tests and their utility in providing useful objective data for courts is also examined. Three chapters are devoted to questions central to an expert offering an ‘opinion’ in court.
A Practical Guide for Psychologists Working in Forensic Contexts Jack White, Andrew Day and Louisa Hackett
Writing Reports for Court: A Practical Guide for Psychologists Working in Forensic Contexts is an invaluable aid for psychologists working in the legal system. The credibility of a psychologist called upon to prepare a report for court as an expert witness will be questioned if the document presented is viewed as poor. The court will place little weight on the report and the psychologist’s professional reputation will be placed at risk. Complaints against psychologists to registration boards, ethics committees and litigation proceedings are frequently the consequence of poor psychological reports.
WRITING REPORTS FOR COURT gists for Psycholo e id u G l a c ti A Prac
Working in Forensic Contexts
Jack White, Andrew Day and Louisa Hackett
WRITING REPORTS FOR COURT ologists uide for Psych A Practical G
Working in Forensic Contexts
Jack White, Andrew Day and Louisa Hackett
First published in 2007 by Australian Academic Press 32 Jeays Street Bowen Hills QLD 4006 Australia www.australianacademicpress.com.au © 2007 Jack White, Andrew Day and Louisa Hackett Reprinted in 2008 Copying for educational purposes The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10% of this book, whichever is the greater, to be reproduced and/or communicated by any educationalinstitution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or the body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act. For details of the CAL licence for educational institutions contact: Copyright Agency Limited, 19/157 Liverpool Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. E-mail
[email protected] Production and communication for other purposes Except as permitted under the Act, for example a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data: White, Jack, 1955- . Writing reports for court : a practical guide for psychologists working in forensic contexts. 1