Forensic Psychiatry

is the sub-specialty of psychiatry that involves the application of medical psychiatric expertise in multiple legal and clinical contexts.

Forensic Psychiatry is highly specialized and requires a specific knowledge base that transcends the boundaries of general mental health.

A solid grounding in general psychiatry and major mental illness is essential for those working in the field of forensic psychiatry.

All forensic psychiatrists are trained psychiatrists as well and are often involved in treating (and/or supervising other clinicians who treat) individuals in general inpatient and outpatient settings, correctional institutions or in mandated treatment settings.

ETHICAL CODE

The practice of forensic psychiatry is governed by a strict code of ethics, derived from the Principles of Medical Ethics as codified by the American Medical Association, and as applied to psychiatric practice by the American Psychiatric Association, and further modified by the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (“AAPL”), the most prominent professional organization for Forensic Psychiatry. AAPL is a subsidiary organization of the American Psychiatric Association. Adherence to these codes of professional conduct helps to ensure the credibility of a forensic psychiatric evaluation and the professionalism of a forensic psychiatrist expert.

WHAT IS A FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIST AND WHAT DO THEY DO?

A forensic psychiatrist is a fully trained psychiatrist (medical school plus 4 years of psychiatric training followed by a comprehensive specialty examination) who usually has at least one additional year of training & study specifically in Forensic Psychiatry.

The forensic psychiatrist practices in a broad multi-disciplinary, multi-professional environment, working with both healthcare professionals (nurses, social workers, counselors, psychologist and other medical specialties) and professionals from legal and/or non-medical arenas (lawyers, courts, correctional officers, parole officers, treatment facilities, corporations, etc.).

Forensic psychiatrists are often involved in treating (and/or supervising other clinicians who treat) individuals in general inpatient and outpatient settings, correctional institutions or in mandated treatment settings. However, the relationship between the patient and the forensic psychiatrist is not the same as the patient/doctor relationship that is commonly formed in the healthcare industry.

Being that forensic psychiatrists often serve as consultants and expert witnesses for civil and criminal attorneys, the judiciary, government and non-government agencies, and corporations. The relationship typically formed would be considered more evaluator/evaluatee than doctor/patient.

Practitioners of Forensic Psychiatry offer hands-on experience in the following area:

• General Psychiatry
• Professional report preparation
• Qualification in multiple jurisdictions as an expert
• Deposition experience
• Testifying
  • • Jury trials
    • Judge/Administrator only trials/hearings
    • Withstanding cross-examination

A number of other professionals work within the broader scope of Forensic Experts, each certified by their own professional governing bodies. This includes other forensic general medical and specialist providers, forensic psychologists, social workers, nurses, occupational therapists and other related healthcare professions.

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