CRC PRINC PRACT FORSC PSYCH PDF

Preface to the second edition

Principles and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry, second edition, was authorized by, and edited for, the Tri-State Chapter of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (Tri-State AAPL).With one exception, every chapter in the book is either an updated, revised and expanded version of what appeared in the original edition, or is completely new. The one exception is the first chapter, which has been described as a ‘classic' statement of the Tri-State Chapter's approach to forensic psychiatry.

The Tri-State Chapter of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law was conceived at the 1975 Boston,Massachusetts meeting of the national organization. There was initial skepticism among senior practitioners about the prospects for a local chapter of AAPL because a prior New York forensic psychiatry educational group, the Isaac Ray Society, had failed to thrive. There was initial opposition from national AAPL because of concern that local chapters might become competitors for members and dues. It was decided to poll by mail all of the AAPL members in New York State to determine if there was interest in the formation of a local forensic psychiatry society; the results of the poll indicated strong support. An organizational meeting was held, to which all New York State members of AAPL were invited. At that meeting, it was determined to call the new society the New York State Membership Group of AAPL because national AAPL had indicated that the then-Bylaws of AAPL did not permit the creation of official chapters. The initial organizational meeting also generated a slate of candidates for elective office in the new society, and a mail ballot was sent to all New York State AAPL members; the election yielded the first officers of the new society. It was decided that there would be no membership dues, and that all AAPL members residing or working in New York State would automatically be members of the New York State Membership Group of AAPL.

The interest of AAPL members in New Jersey and Connecticut in participating in the educational programs of the New York State Membership Group led to a motion to expand the society.A mail ballot was sent to all AAPL members in New Jersey and Connecticut, inquiring if they wished to join a Tri-State Membership Group of AAPL; the results of the poll indicated firm support and the society was expanded accordingly. In subsequent elections, care was taken to insure that at least one representative from New Jersey and one representative from Connecticut were officers of the society.

The success of the Tri-State Membership Group led to a request that national AAPL authorize the creation of local chapters. An AAPL Task Force on Chapters was appointed and recommended that an appropriate Bylaws modification be developed and submitted for ratification to the AAPL membership. On May 4, 1980, following approval of the new Bylaw authorizing local chapters, AAPL authorized the Tri-State Membership Group to be re-named and recognized as AAPL's first official chapter: the Tri-State Chapter of AAPL.

The educational core of Tri-State AAPL has been its annual one-day educational program each January and its annual two-semester course on forensic psychiatry.As an out-growth of those training programs, Tri-State authorized the publication of a number of books, all in the series Critical Issues in American Psychiatry and the Law. It is a source of great satisfaction to present the latest book authorized by Tri-State AAPL, the second edition of Principles and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry.