When acting in a forensic role, clinicians-psychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists, and other medical or mental health practitioners-face the intersection of the legal and medical systems. A number of questions arise: Should they prioritize medical values or legal values when providing expert testimony? How do they serve justice, rather than advocating for one side or the other? How can they adequately address cultural and social factors that may influence individuals actions, as well as structural biases that affect the system itself?
Forensic Neuropsychiatric Ethics provides a pragmatic approach to ethical dilemmas, outlining decision-making skills for problems not addressed by other guidelines. This volume covers
* The history of forensic psychiatric ethics, forensic ethics theories, and approaches to ethical dilemmas
* Ethics considerations and applications for forensic work, including how to ethically write reports, testify, and make use of neuroimaging technologies, psychological test results, and violence risk assessments
* Hot-button topics, such as physician-assisted death, abortion, Second Amendment rights, capital cases, the "duty to warn" third parties, and involuntary outpatient commitment
With practical guidance in each chapter bolstered by conclusions that reprise the most important information, Forensic Neuropsychiatric Ethics is a pivotal reference for mental health clinicians committed to promoting both justice and respect for individuals while engaging in forensic work.
W. Connor Darby, M.D., is Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles.
Robert Weinstock, M.D., is Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles.
Contributors
Foreword
Chapter 1. The Modern History and Evolution of Forensic Psychiatric Ethics Leading Up to Dialectical Principlism
Chapter 2. Dialectical Principlism
Chapter 3. Narrative and Ethics in Forensic Psychiatry
Chapter 4. Robust Professionalism: Forensic Psychiatrys Identity and Purpose
Chapter 5. Ethical Report Writing
Chapter 6. Ethical Challenges While Testifying
Chapter 7. Ethical Implications for the Use of Neuroscience, Neuroimaging, and Artificial Intelligence in the Courtroom
Chapter 8. Ethical Issues in the Forensic Psychiatric Use of Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing
Chapter 9. How to Interpret the Role of the Forensic Psychiatrist to Promote Ethical Work
Chapter 10. Is Impartiality Attainable in Forensic Work? Managing Bias and Subjectivity in Psychiatric Expert Testimony
Chapter 11. Death Penalty: Ethics Considerations for Participating in Capital Cases
Chapter 12. The Tarasoff Duty to Protect: Unintended Consequences and New Liability Concerns
Chapter 13. Balancing Ethical Considerations for Assisted Outpatient Treatment
Chapter 14. Ethical Issues in Forensic Psychiatry: Mental Health Firearm Prohibitions
Chapter 15. Ethical Challenges When Interacting With Professional Organizations, Governmental Agencies, and Community Mental Health Programs
Chapter 16. Ethical Challenges Regarding Informed Consent, Reporting Laws, and Confidentiality Violations
Chapter 17. Termination of Pregnancy, Ethics, and Decisional Capacity
Chapter 18. Clinical Requests for Hastened Death in Individuals With Mental Illness: An Examination of Advance Directives and Physician Assistance in Dying
Chapter 19. Structural and Implicit Bias in Violence Risk Assessments
Chapter 20. Structural Racism and Ethics
Chapter 21. Priority Setting in the COVID Pandemic: Perspectives From Sweden
Index
