Forensic Psychiatry Glossary

American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, the professional organization setting ethical and practice standards for for...

Standardized evaluation method using statistical tools to predict future violent or criminal behavior.

Defendant's present ability to participate meaningfully in legal proceedings and assist counsel.

Legal test for insanity that combines cognitive and volitional components in determining criminal responsibility.

The likelihood that an individual will benefit from and engage successfully with therapeutic interventions.

Legal document filed by non-parties to provide expert information relevant to forensic mental health cases.

Antisocial Personality Disorder, characterized by pervasive disregard for and violation of others' rights.

Psychological assessment to determine if a defendant has intellectual disability that would preclude death penalty eligi...

Supreme Court decision prohibiting execution of individuals with intellectual disability.

The natural frequency of occurrence of a behavior or outcome in a given population.

Exculpatory evidence that prosecution must disclose, including mental health records relevant to credibility or culpabil...

Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale - standardized instrument measuring functional impairment in youth acro...

Legal process for involuntary psychiatric hospitalization of individuals who meet specific criteria for dangerousness or...

Independent sources of data beyond direct evaluation that inform forensic assessments.

Clinical assessment determining a defendant's ability to understand legal proceedings and assist in their defense.

Treatment aimed at improving a defendant's cognitive abilities to meet legal standards for trial competency.

Supervised community placement with specific conditions following forensic hospitalization.

Legal concept determining whether a defendant can be held accountable for criminal actions based on mental capacity.

Pretrial proceeding where judge evaluates admissibility of expert scientific testimony.

Federal evidentiary standard for admissibility of scientific expert testimony requiring judicial gatekeeping.

A legal defense asserting that a defendant's mental condition prevented them from forming the specific intent required f...

Ethical conflict arising when forensic evaluators have competing loyalties to different parties in legal proceedings.

Legal standard for determining competency to stand trial established in Dusky v. United States (1960).

Changeable variables that influence violence risk and can be targeted through treatment or management strategies.