The Compleat Forensic Psychiatrist

The compleat forensic psychiatrist, as described by the authors, must not only have competence in many areas—pre-trial evaluation, post-trial treatment and follow-up, training, and research—but must be able to communicate his ideas to lay people as well as professionals. To help attract able persons into this field a clear identity and role for the forensic psychiatrist is suggested; eventually an American Academy of Forensic Psychiatrists and Board certification in this subspecialty should be considered.