PERSONAL COMPUTERS IN FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY

Because forensic psychiatry is a relatively small field, there ape few computer applications designed particularly for it. Forensic psychiat rists use personal computers in many ways that are similar to other ps ychiatrists, but certain aspects of forensic practice, such as an emph asis on precise reports, regular interactions with attorneys, use of l egal databases and materials, and travel, call for utilizing available programs in different ways. Since forensic psychiatry draws on the kn owledge of psychiatry, law, and criminology, the World Wide Web has be come a particularly useful resource for information. An array of appli cations and resources of particular interest to forensic psychiatrists are presented. Computer education, ''telemedicine,'' and teleconferen cing are still in their infancy in forensic psychiatry, but are likely to increase in use as these technologies mature.