The use of neurobiological evidence in sentencing mitigation.

Neurobiological evidence has grown increasingly relevant in U.S. criminal proceedings, particularly during sentencing.

A Survey of Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program Directors on Selecting Fellowship Applicants.

In the 2019-2020 academic year, there were 48 accredited forensic psychiatry fellowship programs in the United States. Programs vary in application requirements and timeline. There are no published objective data on factors that fellowship program directors (PDs) use when selecting fellows.

Adjudicative Competence and the Criminalization of Intellectual Disability.

Wood and colleagues effectively argue that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to securing accommodations for persons with intellectual/disability disorder so that such persons can meaningfully participate in the criminal adjudicative process. This invited commentary further discusses the challenges in identifying, assisting, and fully accommodating persons with intellectual/disability disorder in the criminal justice system. It also highlights ongoing problems with stereotypes within this population, which may affect the outcome of criminal proceedings.

AAPL Practice Resource for the Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial.

Full Document: Wall BW, Ash P, Keram E, et al: AAPL Practice Resource for the Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial Update 2018. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online Supplement 2018, 46 (3). Available at: http://www.

The Competency Paradox in Somatic Disease.

Westmoreland have reviewed factors associated with provider reluctance to initiate and judicial reluctance to authorize civil commitment and involuntary treatment for persons with severe anorexia nervosa. Their analysis of the legal, medical, and psychiatric elements that affect treatment outcomes contributes to professional understanding of a complex topic. Although their proposal to create guidelines for involuntary treatment for persons with eating disorders may be of clinical utility, guidelines should not be promulgated for the purposes of reaching judicial findings of law.

Commentary: gender nonconformity within a conformist correctional culture.

In this era of increasing civil rights successes for gays and lesbians, transgender individuals are often overlooked. Simopoulos and Khin present guidance for correctional institutions in the comprehensive care of transgender inmates. Their analysis of the legal, medical, and psychiatric concerns for incarcerated transgender and gender-nonconforming people improves professional understanding of a complex subject.

Commentary: Causes and consequences of male adult sexual assault.

Bullock and Beckson add to a growing body of literature on the negative consequences of adult sexual assault on male victims. There are similarities as well as important differences between male sexual assault victims and their female counterparts. Their analyses of societal contributions and myths about adult male sexual assault and of the difficulties that male victims experience in accessing and interacting with the medical and legal systems improve professional understanding of this complex subject.

AAPL Practice Guideline for the forensic psychiatric evaluation of competence to stand trial.

Competence to stand trial is a legal construct used to identify those criminal defendants who have the requisite mental capacity to understand the nature and objective of the proceedings against them and to participate rationally in preparing their defense. This Practice Guideline has described how psychiatrists should evaluate individuals concerning their competence to stand trial. The Guideline describes acceptable forensic psychiatric practice for such evaluations.

Psychiatric fitness-for-duty evaluations.

Fitness-for-duty examinations are a common type of psychiatric disability evaluation. These evaluations are typically best performed by the independent (nontreating) psychiatrist with forensic training or expertise in these examinations. A comprehensive evaluation requires careful definition of the referral questions and consideration of the terms of the referral; review of relevant job-specific documentation and medical records; the collection of collateral information from relevant third-party informants; a thorough clinical psychiatric examination; and possibly additional testing.

Restoration of competency to stand trial: a training program for persons with mental retardation.

This article describes the development and use of a formal training tool for restoration of competency in clients with mental retardation who are incompetent to stand trial. The program was developed at Eleanor Slater Hospital within the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals. This article describes the development of The Slater Method, the training tool format, the procedure for use of the Slater Method, and the duration of treatment to restore competency to stand trial in clients with mental retardation.