THE QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE IN FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY

Excellence in forensic psychiatry requires adopting an appropriate pro fessional role; developing an uncommon depth of knowledge and experien ce; full disclosure of credentials, biases, and weaknesses to potentia l clients; wise choices about which assignments to accept; and scrupul ous fairness in the presentation of findings and opinions. An elusive goal in the best of circumstances, the quest for excellence can appear even more quixotic as resources diminish. As forensic psychiatry face s cost controls from insurance companies, increased competition from p sychiatrists who have lost clinical opportunities, and the prospect of tort reform, the pressure to employ more efficient methods and to do more superficial work increases, threatening the quality of forensic w ork. The many influences, distractions, temptations, and hazards in th e path toward excellence can be largely overcome by men and women of i ntegrity, but there are inflexible barriers in the path of those who t ake assignments for which they are unsuited, for which the data will n ot be made accessible, or for which too little time is available to pr epare properly. Often the most consequential decision one makes in a c ase is the decision to accept the case.