Nicholson R A, Norwood S
University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
Law Hum Behav. 2000 Feb;24(1):9-44. doi: 10.1023/a:1005422702678.
During the past decade, the field of forensic psychological assessment entered a period of standard setting, reflected in the publication of specialty guidelines for practice and in the proliferation of educational opportunities, training programs, and credentialing and certification procedures for forensic examiners. Representing significant efforts to advance the quality of psychological assessments in legal contexts, these developments foreshadow the promise of forensic assessment. During this same time period, new evidence emerged regarding the quality of forensic practice. This article reviews this evidence and evaluates current practice against the promise of forensic assessment. Forensic reports appear to be of higher quality than those described by commentators in the 1970s and early 1980s; nevertheless, the level of practice falls far short of professional aspirations for the field. The review identifies significant areas of weakness that demand the attention of professional organizations, accrediting agencies, educators, lawmakers, practitioners, and consumers.
在过去十年中，法医心理评估领域进入了一个标准制定时期，这体现在专业实践指南的发布以及教育机会、培训项目、法医鉴定人的资格认证程序的激增上。这些发展代表了在法律背景下提高心理评估质量的重大努力，预示着法医评估的前景。在同一时期，出现了关于法医实践质量的新证据。本文回顾了这些证据，并对照法医评估的前景评估当前的实践。法医报告的质量似乎高于20世纪70年代和80年代初评论员所描述的报告；然而，实践水平远远低于该领域的专业期望。该综述确定了需要专业组织、认证机构、教育工作者、立法者、从业者和消费者关注的重大薄弱领域。
