Child and Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry

Working with children and adolescents in a psychiatric setting requires knowledge of the evaluation and treatment of suspected abuse and neglect, which includes being knowledgeable of the mandated reporting laws for a particular jurisdiction. Additionally, juveniles are a population that have special protections and considerations within the legal system. This special place and processes have evolved over centuries. Recognizing what has contributed to that evolution is important in appreciating the forensic issues that arise within child and adolescent psychiatry. This has included the development of the juvenile court system and the numerous reforms that have taken place within that system. The concept of culpability and how it is applied to juveniles when determining the appropriate punishment for a crime is also unique. The United States Supreme Court has reviewed several cases that have contributed to an evolving understanding of juveniles within the courts and the extent to which minors can be punished. In their decisions, the Court has recognized several factors unique to children that have paralleled our increasing understanding of the neurobiological and social development of children and adolescents, and how this contributes to criminal behaviors committed by minors.