Forensic Psychiatry, Law, and Ethics 

Forensic psychiatry is a medical science related to criminology that focuses on the relationship between psychiatry and civil, criminal, and administrative law. Forensic psychiatrists evaluate and treat individuals involved with the legal system or incarcerated in jails, prisons, and forensic psychiatry hospitals. In a court of law, forensic psychiatrists provide expert testimony about a defendant’s mental state at the time of the offense, determine the competence of an individual to stand trial, and make sentencing recommendations.

Indispensable Guides to Forensic Psychiatry

American Psychiatric Publishing (APPI), a division of the American Psychiatric Association, publishes comprehensive reference books and study guides on forensic psychiatry.

	The Mental Health Professional in Court: A Survival Guide equips the mental health professional with a hands-on, practical working knowledge of what to expect—and how to survive—in the courtroom and the legal system.
	The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Forensic Psychiatry, Second Edition provides complete coverage of key concepts, legal precedents, and practical guidelines for the general clinician and forensic psychiatrist.
	Principles and Practice of Child and Adolescent Forensic Mental Health is an essential guide through the legal system for mental health practitioners who treat children.