Forensic Psychology in Military Courts

by Stein, Christopher T.; Younggren, Jeffrey Nels

• ISBN13: 9781433830358
• ISBN10: 1433830353
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2019-05-28
• Publisher: American Psychological Association

Summary

This book provides a comprehensive review of the many valuable roles that psychologists can play in courts-martial and how they can collaborate with military attorneys to make effective trial teams. Even though psychologists are becoming increasingly important in military trials, many are unfamiliar with the unique nature of this system. Likewise, lawyers often do not know how to effectively utilize psychologists’ expertise. This volume thus offers much-needed guidance for civilian psychologists and military counsel alike.
 
The chapter authors are forensic psychologists and military legal personnel---including defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges--who offer expert tips and strategies for navigating the court-martial process. They introduce psychologists to the rules, procedures, and people involved in military trials. They also explore psychologists’ many potential responsibilities, such as trial and litigation consulting, assisting with panel selection, conducting pretrial witness interviews, educating legal counsel about psychological science, administering psychological evaluations, and testifying as expert witnesses. Chapters also address ethical and legal issues related to potential role conflicts and protecting therapist--client privilege.

Author Biography

Christopher T. Stein, JD, is an active duty United States Air Force officer. Currently the Staff Judge Advocate for a Fighter Wing in the Republic of Korea, he is one of the Air Force’s most experienced trial lawyers, having prosecuted and defended complex cases around the world, including Afghanistan, Japan, and Germany. He studied psychology at University of California Los Angeles and earned his JD from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
 
Jeffrey N. Younggren, PhD, is a forensic psychologist and clinical professor in the University of New Mexico's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He earned his PhD from the University of Arizona and has published extensively in ethics and law. Dr. Younggren is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army where he served as the Clinical Psychology Consultant for the Surgeon General of the Army. His military awards include the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Services Medal. He was also inducted into the inaugural class of the Army ROTC Hall of Fame. Jeff Younggren lives in Albuquerque, NM.

Table of Contents

Contributors
Introduction: Why Forensic Psychology in Military Courts?
Christopher T. Stein and Jeffrey N. Younggren

Part I: Overview of the Military Justice System 
Chapter 1: The Forensic Psychologist in the Military Justice System: Background, Structure, and Process
Kathleen Coyne
Chapter 2: Military Trials: Procedures, Parties, and Terminology
Marcus N. Fulton
Chapter 3: Military Rules: Expert Qualifications, Admissibility of Expert Testimony, and Competency Hearings
Joshua Kastenberg
Chapter 4: Navigating the Mental Health Records Maze in Pretrial Litigation
Robert D. Merrill
Part II: Psychologists' Roles in Courts-Martial 
Chapter 5: Addressing Potential Role Conflicts in Military Courts-Martial
Michael C. Gottlieb and Jeffrey N. Younggren
Chapter 6: The Varied Roles of the Psychologist in Military Proceedings
Mary Connell
Chapter 7: The Psychologist as Trial Consultant
Deborah Davis and Daniel Reisberg
Chapter 8: The Psychologist as Courtroom Educator
Daniel Reisberg and Deborah Davis
Chapter 9: Psychological Evaluation and Testing in the Court-Martial Context
Karen Franklin
Part III: Psychologists and Legal Counsel as Partners 
Chapter 10: The Team Concept in Military Courts
Andrew R. Norton
Chapter 11: Psychologist–Prosecutor Collaboration: A Prosecutor’s Perspective
Brian M. Thompson
Chapter 12: An Integrated Approach to Defending Those With Mental Health Conditions

Eric Carpenter
Index
About the Editors