Forensic Evaluation of Juveniles

Introduction

Chapter 1:  Preparing for Evaluations in Delinquency Cases

• A Brief History of the Juvenile Justice System
• The Context for Forensic Evaluations: Juvenile Laws, Courts, and Rehabilitation Programs
• The Role of Forensic Mental Health Examiners in Delinquency Cases
• Fundamental Knowledge About Youths

Chapter 2:  Juveniles's Waiver of Miranda Rights

• The Legal and Social Context for Miranda Evaluations
• Conceptualizing the Evaluation
• The Evaluation Process
• Standardized Assessment Methods
• Interpretation
• Reports and Testimony

Chapter 3:  Juveniles' Competence to Stand Trial

• The Legal and Social Context of Competence to Stand Trial Evaluations
• Conceptualizing the Evaluation
• The Evaluation Process
• Standardized Assessment Methods
• Interpretive Issues; Reports and Testimony

Chapter 4:  Assessing Risk of Harm to Others

• Framing the Assessment Question
• Risk Factors Associated with Future Harm to Others
• Obtaining Data on Risk Factors
• Forming and Reporting Opinions

Chapter 5:  Rehabilitation Evaluations

• Perspective on Rehabilitation Evaluations
• Describing Youths: What Are the Youth's Important Characteristics?
• Describing Rehabilitation Objectives: What Needs to Change?
• Describing a Rehabilitation Plan: What Interventions Are Relevant and Available?
• Describing Probable Outcomes: What Is the Likelihood of Change?
• Applying the Four Elements of a Rehabilitation Evaluation

Chapter 6:  Evaluations for Waiver to Criminal Court

• The Concept and Purpose of Waiver
• From Legal Standards to Evaluation Objectives
• The Legal Context for Waiver Evaluations
• Special Issues in Waiver Assessments of Risk of Harm to Others
• Special Issues in Waiver Assessments of Amenability to Rehabilitation
• The Future of Waiver to Criminal Court

Chapter 7:  Professional and Ethical Practice

• The Contractual Relationship
• Considering the Referral
• Clarifying the Services, Obligations, and Fees
• Professional Relationships
• Methods and Procedures
• Communications
• Examining One's Personal Values

References

Glossary of Terms

Subject Index