1st Edition
The Forensic Psychologist's Report Writing Guide
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.
Introduction
Erica Bowen, Coventry University, Coventry, UK
Section 1: general issues of reporting across different types of assessments
- Brief overview/introduction
David Prescott, Becket Family of Services in the USA
Chapter 1: Reporting psychometric tests
Glenda Liell, NOMS, UK and Martin Fisher Consultant and Forensic Psychologist, NOMS, UK, Portsmouth University, UK & Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Chapter 2: Reporting intellectual capacity/cognitive functioning
Robin Wilson, Wilson Psychological Services, Sarasota, Florida and David Tobin, Centre for Integrative Psychological Services, New Hampshire and Greenfield, Massachusetts, USA
Chapter 3: Reporting actuarial risk
Professor Martin Rettenberger, Centre for Criminology, Wiesbaden and
Department of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz (JGU), Germany, and Professor Leam Craig, Forensic Psychology Practice Ltd, University of Birmingham, School of Social Sciences, Birmingham City University UK
Chapter 4: Reporting case formulation and opinion
Professor Andrew Day, Deakin University, Australia
Chapter 5: Reporting structured professional judgement
Caroline Logan, Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust & University of Manchester, UK
Chapter 6: Reporting personality functioning
Caroline Logan, Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust & University of Manchester, UK and Margaret Fenton, Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Chapter 7: Reporting change
Professor Devon Polaschek, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Section 2: considerations when reporting on specific client groups
- Brief overview/introduction
David Prescott, Becket Family of Services in the USA
Chapter 8: Reporting on juvenile clients
Dr. Clare-Ann Fortune, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Chapter 9: Reporting on female clients
Susan Cooper, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, UK and Kelley Blanchette, Correctional Service Canada
Chapter 10: Reporting on vulnerable clients including those with cognitive impairments
Robin Wilson, Wilson Psychological Services, Sarasota, Florida, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario and Brandie Stevenson, Pryor, Linder & Associates, Safe Management Group, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Chapter 11: Reporting on relationships, e.g. parenting competence, couples’ assessments
Wendy Morgan, London Metropolitan University, UK and Erica Bowen, Coventry University, UK
Section 3: considerations when reporting in specific contexts
- Brief overview/introduction
David Prescott, Becket Family of Services in the USA
Chapter 12: Reporting in secure settings, e.g. prisons, forensic hospitals
Martin Fisher, NOMS, UK, Southern Health Foundation NHS Trust, UK; Dr Kerry Beckley, NOMS, UK; & Dr Jo Bailey, NOMS, UK
Chapter 13: Reporting for parole or other hearings, e.g. mental health tribunals
Professor Michael Daffern, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology; Dr. Jessica Mooney, Youth Health and Rehabilitation Service, Caraniche; Dr. Kylie Thomson, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology; & Ms. Gabrielle Klepfisz, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology; Australia
Chapter 14: Reporting for community contexts, e.g. probation, community-based programmes/organisations
Lawrence Ellerby & David Kolton, Forensic Psychological Services, Ellerby, Kolton, Rothman & Associates, Canada
Appendix 1: Example Report 1
Appendix 2: Example Report 2
Appendix 3: Example Report 3
Biography
Sarah Brown is a Professor in the Centre for Research in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement at Coventry University, UK.
Erica Bowen was a Professor in the Centre for Research in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement at Coventry University, UK and moved in 2016 to become Professor of Prevention of Violence and Abuse at the University of Worcester, UK.
David Prescott is a practising forensic practitioner in New England, USA.
'Those who aspire to excellence in forensic and correctional report-writing will find that the various chapters in The Forensic Psychologists’ Report Writing Guide offer superb guidance. It will be supremely helpful to psychologists who write such reports, attorneys who use them in litigation, judges who rely on them to inform their decisions, and clinical administrators who seek high quality in their reports.' - Kirk Heilbrun, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
'This volume is an excellent resource for students developing their report writing skills, and an essential desk reference for practitioners. An international team of leading academics and practitioners take an evidence-based approach supported by concrete real world examples and advice on the diverse range of reports that forensic psychologists are asked to write.' - Caoilte Ó Ciardha, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
"Overall, I thoroughly recommend this book to trainee and qualified practitioners. The editors have done an excellent job of collating accessible and practical expertise from the current field. New assessors will find it a useful primer and existing assessors will find chapters on neglected areas stimulating for new reflection. I recommend using it alongside a writing style guide and maintaining a critical stance, remembering that we can still improve the accessibility, language and cultural sensitivity of our reports." - Sophie Ellis, Trainee Forensic Psychologist, Institute of Criminology: Cambridge University, Forensic Update (British Psychological Society)
