Citation

Bolocofsky DN. Behav. Sci. Law 1989; 7(2): 197-213.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/bsl.2370070205

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Changes in standards for child custody determinations have resulted in an increased demand for mental health professionals to serve as expert witnesses. However, the entry of mental health professionals into custody disputes has been met with harsh criticism of the value of their contributions. Critics have generally pointed to the absence of substantive requirements for who may serve as an expert mental health witness, the ambiguities inherent in the best interests standard, the weak scientific basis for psychology and psychiatry, and the questionable measurement techniques employed by mental health professionals as reasons for increased regulation of forensic mental health services. This article critically reviews these concerns and proposes a regulatory model that addresses the salient issues.

Language: en