ABSTRACT
Synopsis of Case ......................................................................................................................... 169 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 170
Pertinent Legal Cases .............................................................................................................174 Applied Ethics and Moral Considerations ........................................................................ 176 Empirically Based Methods and Applications .................................................................. 179
Domestic Spousal Violence Risk Assessment ............................................................... 179 Spousal Physical Abuse .................................................................................................... 184 Spousal Sexual Abuse ...................................................................................................... 186 Domestic Physical Abuse of Child/Adolescent Family Members ............................. 187 Domestic Sexual Abuse of Child/Adolescent Family Members ................................ 188 Domestic Abuse of Elderly Family Members ............................................................... 189
Basic Points to Considering Clinical Forensic Assessment ................................................. 191 Avoiding Evaluation and Consultation Errors ...................................................................... 194 Treatment Considerations ........................................................................................................ 195 Writing Forensic Reports and Acting as an Expert Witness ............................................... 195 Novel Applications of Forensic Evidence and Knowledge ................................................... 196 References .................................................................................................................................... 197 Legal References ......................................................................................................................... 204
Th e Brown family consisting of Mr and Mrs Brown and four children lived in a subsided farmhouse in a rural area with just over three acres of land. Neither parent worked, Mr Brown was disabled with a work-related back injury; he had been employed as a truck driver. Th e family subsisted on various sources of welfare. Police involvement arose when neighbors complained about heavy traffi c in and out of the Brown’s property and “loud parties” once or twice a week. Upon investigation, police discovered a well-cultivated patch of thriving cannabis plants in a small garden. In contrast, hundreds of photos taken by the police refl ected multiple forms of animal excrement, rotting food dirty laundry, and, generally, unbelievably fi lthy living conditions. Th e police confi scated 11 huge garbage bags of mostly adult-oriented pornographic books, magazines, and movies. In addition, police confi scated a life-size male store manikin with plaster-exaggerated genitals and glued-on pubic hair. Splotches of what appeared to be dried semen covered the manikin.
