Showing papers by "David DeMatteo published in 2012"

Community-Based Alternatives for Justice-Involved Individuals with Severe Mental Illness: Review of the Relevant Research

Abstract: Community-based alternatives to conviction and imprisonment for adult offenders with severe mental illness are receiving increasing attention from researchers and policy makers. After discussing th...

Social Functioning, Victimization, and Mental Health among Female Offenders:

Abstract: Females who have experienced victimization or abuse during childhood tend to have poorer outcomes in adulthood with regard to criminal behavior, mental health, and social relationships. Although sc...

Ameliorating attention problems in children with sickle cell disease: a pilot study of methylphenidate.

Abstract: Impairments in attention and executive functions have been reported for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and history of stroke,1–5 silent infarct,2,6–8 and elevated transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) velocities.9,10 Given the vulnerability of attention and executive functions in this pediatric population, children with SCD evidence similar neurocognitive impairments to their peers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Further, the structural central nervous system (CNS) impairments associated with SCD are similar to those of children and adolescents with ADHD, including abnormality in the regions of the frontal lobes2 and basal ganglia.11 Because children with SCD evidence similar deficits in attention to their peers with ADHD, it is posited that children with SCD may demonstrate the same therapeutic benefit from stimulant drug therapy as their peers with ADHD. This investigation is important considering that SCD and concomitant attention problems pose considerable risk for children and adolescents in the areas of cognitive and academic functioning.12 Methylphenidate (MPH) is a frequently prescribed stimulant medication for ADHD, releasing dopamine from presynaptic vesicles and thereby reducing dopamine reuptake.13 Among children with ADHD, strong dose-response relationships have been between MPH and symptoms of inattention, with improvements in many cognitive functions at higher doses in laboratory, school, and home situations.14 The most consistent and significant benefits of MPH have been demonstrated on measures of vigilance and sustained attention.14 Evidence of improved working memory, 15–17 paired-associate learning, and inhibitory control in response to MPH also has been reported. Despite the compelling evidence of impairments in attention and concentration among children with SCD, to date no clinical trials have been conducted that examine pharmacologic management of the cognitive sequelae associated with this chronic disease. Thus, the aim of this multisite, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study was to assess the efficacy of stimulant medication in enhancing attention, executive functions, and verbal memory among children with SCD who sustained neurological complications and who also evidenced impairments in attention and concentration. Two separate clinical trials were conducted, one of which was a laboratory trial evaluating the short-term efficacy of MPH. For the laboratory trial, it was hypothesized that MPH relative to placebo would result in improved attention, executive function, and verbal memory on laboratory-based measures. The second study evaluated the efficacy of long-acting MPH (three-week home/school crossover trial) based on parent and teacher behavioral ratings. For the home/school trial, it was hypothesized that relative to placebo, long-acting MPH would result in improvements on ecologically valid measures assessing sustained attention.

Clinical neuropsychology in forensic contexts: Practitioners' experience, training, and practice.

Abstract: Despite their increasing involvement in the United States legal system, little is known about neuropsychological practitioners working in forensic contexts. Neuropsychologists (N 59) recruited from the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology and the National Academy of Neuropsychology were surveyed about their experience, training, and practice. The majority of participants reported practicing in both civil and criminal forensic contexts (64%), with a minority restricting their practice to civil cases only (34%); practicing solely within the criminal forensic context was rarely reported (2%). Participants reported conducting forensic assessments across a variety of legal questions, primarily personal injury and civil and criminal competencies. The majority of participants’ graduate and postdoctoral training was in neuropsychology, typically supplemented by forensic training through postgraduate continuing education. Challenges to admissibility of expert testimony were rare and were more likely to target specific sections of the practitioners’ testimony rather than their admissibility as experts overall. Differences in challenges to admissibility based on jurisdiction were found for those participants practicing within criminal but not civil forensic contexts (p .034). Though certain trends are noted, results suggest substantial variability exists among practitioners in the field. Implications regarding the experience, training, and practice of neuropsychological practitioners within civil and criminal forensic contexts are discussed, along with broader implications for field leaders as they continue to advance the subspecialty of forensic neuropsychology.

A Survey of Graduate Training Programs and Coursework in Forensic Psychology

Abstract: An increasing number of graduate programs are available to students interested in the study of forensic psychology. The growth of forensic training opportunities is reflective of the wider developm...

Introduction to the Special Issue on Diversion From Standard Prosecution

Abstract: Over the past two decades, there has been a paradigm shift in how the criminal justice system handles specific types of offenders. The initial impetus for this shift was the long-overdue recognition that standard criminal justice processing was not resulting in meaningful reductions in drug use and criminal recidivism among drug-involved offenders. As a result, courts across the United States began developing specialized dockets designed to address the specific criminogenic risk factors of drug-involved offenders. The advent of drug treatment courts was the beginning of a new generation of specialty courts and other community-based efforts to deal with specific types of offenders. Although these efforts began with a focus on drug-involved offenders, community-based alternatives to standard prosecution were soon developed for other subsets of offenders, including those with mental health problems. Drug courts and mental health courts have received a good deal of attention, but specialty courts are only one type of community-based diversion program. Indeed, there are a range of community-based alternatives to standard prosecution that span the entire criminal justice continuum. In this regard, the Sequential Intercept Model developed by Munetz andGriffin (2006) provides a useful organizing framework. This model describes five points at which standard criminal justice processing can be interrupted (or intercepted) and individuals can be diverted from standard prosecution: (1) law enforcement and emergency services; (2) post-arrest: initial detention/hearing and pre-trial services; (3) post-initial hearings: jails/prisons, courts, forensic evaluations, and commitments; (4) re-entry from jails, prisons, and forensic hospitalization; and (5) community corrections and community support. Each of these intercepts provides an opportunity to intervene with offenders andpotentially break the costly and ineffective cycle of arrest, incarceration, release, and re-arrest that has often characterized the criminal justice system's response to certain types of offenders.This special issue presents the most up-to-date research on diversion from standard prosecution.

Toward Establishing Standards of Practice in Juvenile Forensic Mental Health Assessment

Abstract: Recent decades have witnessed substantial advances in the science and practice of the forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) of juveniles. Such evaluations may be conducted in the juvenile court to inform such legal decisions as diversion, competence to stand trial, adjudication and placement, and transfer into criminal court. They may also be conducted on adolescents in criminal court, on issues such as reverse waiver, competence to stand trial, and mental state at the time of the offense. For the purposes of this chapter, we will focus on the evaluation of adolescents in juvenile and criminal contexts, excluding family and civil issues such as child custody and personal injury. FMHA will be defined as “evaluation that is performed by mental health professionals as part of the legal decision-making process, for the purpose of assisting the decision maker or helping one of the litigants in using relevant clinical and scientific data” (Heilbrun 2001).