Evaluations for Sentencing of Juveniles in Criminal Court

Young people charged with serious offenses may be tried in criminal court. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that, if convicted in criminal court, juveniles'' sentencing must take into account their relative developmental immaturity compared to adults. Therefore, Judges and attorneys in these cases need information from forensic mental health examiners about a youth''s degree of immaturity and its relevance for sentencing. This is the first book to provide forensic mental health examiners a legal and developmental foundation for these evaluations, as well as best practices for performing the evaluation and communicating it to the court.

Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) has grown into a specialization informed by research and professional guidelines. This series presents up-to-date information on the most important and frequently conducted forms of FMHA. The 21 topical volumes address best approaches to practice for particular types of evaluation in the criminal, civil and juvenile/family areas. Each volume contains a thorough discussion of the relevant legal and psychological concepts, followed by a step-by-step description of the assessment process from preparing for the evaluation to writing the report and testifying in court.Volumes include the following helpful features:- Boxes that zero in on important information for use in evaluations- Tips for best practice and cautions against common pitfalls- Highlighting of relevant case law and statutes- Separate list of assessment tools for easy reference- Helpful glossary of key terms for the particular topicIn making recommendations for best practice, authors consider empirical support, legal relevance, and consistency with ethical and professional standards. These volumes offer invaluable guidance for anyone involved in conducting or using forensic evaluations.