Principles of Forensic Report Writing PDF Download

Author: Michael Karson
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
ISBN: 9781433813061
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
"In teaching forensic report writing to graduate students, we have been impressed with the available guides to writing specific kinds of reports. There are also some good summary articles on report writing and check-lists regarding what reports ought to cover. What we wanted, though, was a single volume that looked at report writing and reading as behaviors, informed by what we know about behavior, and that looked in-depth at the topic of applying general knowledge to particular situations. As is true for so many authors, this is the book we wish we'd read in graduate school. We offer these principles of forensic report writing as preparation for trainees, particularly those in Stages 1-3 of the developmental scheme described here, and also as reminders for professionals who have already written many reports"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309142393
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 348

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Book Description
Scores of talented and dedicated people serve the forensic science community, performing vitally important work. However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community. The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs. While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.

Author: Randy K. Otto
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118136721
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 400

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Book Description
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. DeMier, 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.

Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309134404
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
In 1992 the National Research Council issued DNA Technology in Forensic Science, a book that documented the state of the art in this emerging field. Recently, this volume was brought to worldwide attention in the murder trial of celebrity O. J. Simpson. The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence reports on developments in population genetics and statistics since the original volume was published. The committee comments on statements in the original book that proved controversial or that have been misapplied in the courts. This volume offers recommendations for handling DNA samples, performing calculations, and other aspects of using DNA as a forensic toolâ€"modifying some recommendations presented in the 1992 volume. The update addresses two major areas: Determination of DNA profiles. The committee considers how laboratory errors (particularly false matches) can arise, how errors might be reduced, and how to take into account the fact that the error rate can never be reduced to zero. Interpretation of a finding that the DNA profile of a suspect or victim matches the evidence DNA. The committee addresses controversies in population genetics, exploring the problems that arise from the mixture of groups and subgroups in the American population and how this substructure can be accounted for in calculating frequencies. This volume examines statistical issues in interpreting frequencies as probabilities, including adjustments when a suspect is found through a database search. The committee includes a detailed discussion of what its recommendations would mean in the courtroom, with numerous case citations. By resolving several remaining issues in the evaluation of this increasingly important area of forensic evidence, this technical update will be important to forensic scientists and population geneticistsâ€"and helpful to attorneys, judges, and others who need to understand DNA and the law. Anyone working in laboratories and in the courts or anyone studying this issue should own this book.

Author: Daniel P. Greenfield
Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
ISBN: 0826121594
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 217

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Book Description
Despite the extensive technical literature on forensic mental health, there is a lack of practical guidebooks dedicated to generating clear and persuasive forensic mental health reports. Greenfield and Gottschalk present this practical handbook to address this critical need. This comprehensive guide outlines the proper format for forensic reports, contains multiple examples of full and partial reports, and is organized in a user-friendly, "how-to" style to accomplish its goal. The case overviews of full criminal reports, full civil reports, and civil summaries cover important topics such as domestic violence, malpractice, personal injury, malingering, and more. Key features: Full-length report samples with step-by-step guidelines explaining how each section of the report is done Designed to assist the novice, trainee, and seasoned forensic mental health practitioner Extensive commentaries and discussions following each case overview to convey how the report served to help resolve its case Extensive reference lists and appendices containing key terms, additional journals and periodicals, Internet resources, and assessment tools

Author: Sarah Brown
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1317554132
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 273

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Book Description
The Forensic Psychologist’s Reporting Writing Guide is the first book to provide both student trainees and practitioners with best practice guidance for one of the core skills of their role. Written and edited by an international range of experts from the UK, North America and Australasia, it provides clear advice on a range of assessments, from psychometric tests to personality functioning, and includes real-life examples to illustrate key points. Uniquely, the book also offers guidance on the range of different client groups that forensic psychologists work with across both civil and legal contexts, including juveniles, female clients, couples and those with cognitive impairments. From core principles to writing style to key issues, each chapter also includes a checklist of advice and further reading. Comprehensive and practical, The Forensic Psychologist’s Reporting Writing Guide is a user-friendly companion to this critical and often overlooked skill, and will be essential reading for both neophyte and experienced forensic psychologists alike.

Author: Burkhard Madea
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1444181777
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description
Estimation of the Time Since Death remains the foremost authoritative book on scientifically calculating the estimated time of death postmortem. Building on the success of previous editions which covered the early postmortem period, this new edition also covers the later postmortem period including putrefactive changes, entomology, and postmortem r

Author: Alec Buchanan
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521131841
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 300

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Book Description
The written report is central to the practice of psychiatry in legal settings. It is required of mental health professionals acting as expert witnesses in criminal cases, civil litigation situations, child custody proceedings and risk assessments. This book provides a theoretical background to psychiatric writing for the law and a practical guide to the preparation of the report. The first section addresses practical and ethical concerns, including the conduct of the forensic psychiatric evaluation, conflicts of interest, record keeping and confidentiality. The second section contains practical and detailed advice on preparing various types of report, including reports for use in criminal and civil litigation, civil commitment hearings and child custody proceedings. A final section covers special issues arising during report preparation including the use of psychological tests and the detection of malingering. This is an essential guide for anyone required to write a psychiatric report.

Author: Brent E. Turvey
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0128013605
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 364

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Book Description
False Allegations: Investigative and Forensic Issues in Fraudulent Reports of Crime provides investigators and forensic examiners with a reference manual comprised of objective protocols for managing cases. It helps them understand the nature and extent of false allegations to more accurately identify false allegations should they present in casework. It also prepares users on how to confront and explain false allegations, including instances where colleagues and supervisors may be steeped in bias, denial or self-interest. Responding law enforcement agencies have a duty of care to investigate all reported crime, to recognize and uncover false allegations, and prevent them from causing harm to the innocent. Failure to do so can result in miscarriages of justice. When law enforcement fails in their duty of care, they are also exposed to civil liability from those that have been falsely accused. Presents a first of it’s kind forensic textbook on a subject that has been highly politicized Written by qualified investigative and forensic professionals who work cases and give expert testimony Offers applied protocols to conduct forensic investigations and evaluations, including red flags Based on the most recent scientific research, practice and protocols Includes extensive case examples used to augment a variety of different false report models

Author: Scott I. Fairgrieve
Publisher: Charles C Thomas Publisher
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 365

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Book Description
This timely volume on case studies in forensic osteology with background information on how osteological analysis is applied to human/faunal remains found in legal contexts is primarily designed for students of forensic anthropology/osteology who have a background in human anatomy and/or osteology. It also will be of interest to those individuals lacking this background and who may very well want to read the book for its many case studies. Although many journals publish case reports, there are instances when a more detailed and full description of circumstances are warranted. Further, beginning students initially require a more thorough treatment of the thinking behind the application of analytical techniques; an important aspect that may not be covered in the professional literature. Based on the foregoing, the premise of this book is that each case has a unique quality and thus presents unique problems for the analyst to approach. It is important for the reader to understand the limits for forensic osteology by examining not only its successes but also its failures. This book presents this type of information. The chapters appear as follows: Forensic Osteological Analysis: An Introduction; Of Beasts and Humans: A Case of Recognition; Identification of Human Skeletal Remains: Was He a She or She a He?; Sex Determination: XX or XY from the Human Skeleton; Identification of a Missing Person Using Biomechanical and DNA Analysis: A Case Study; DISH Rats and a Rolex; Death on the Danforth; The Identification of the Remains of Don Francisco Pizarro; Clinkers on the Little Bighorn Battlefield: In Situ Investigation of Scattered Recent Cremains; The Wrong Urn: Commingling of Cremains in Mortuary Practices; Cremated Remains and Expert Testimony in a Homicide Case; An Anthropological Investigation of a Rural Homicide Scene; Forensic Osteology of Strangulation; Pathological Changes on Human Skeletal Remains: Before, During or After?; Unusual Skeletal Anomalies and Pathologies in Forensic Casework; Biker's Bones: An Avocational Syndrome; Identity Crisis: Two Case Studies -- Success and Failure in Personal Identification Determination; Mass Disasters: Comments and Discussion Regarding the Hinton Train Collision of 1986; The Role of Forensic Anthropology in Human Rights Issues; and Forensic Entomology: The Use of Insects in Death Investigations.