Forensic Neuropsychiatric Ethics: Balancing Competing Duties In and Out of Court

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.