Can Adolescent Court Reports be Used to Facilitate Therapeutic Change?

Abstract

A B S T R A C T How can reports for criminal courts be made helpful for the young people concerned? The prime aim of psychiatric court reports is to answer the questions posed by, or for, the court. This article argues that the process of preparing and writing an adolescent court report may also be used to promote change. This article describes how adolescent psychiatric reports commissioned for criminal court proceedings can be used to prompt therapeutic change whilst keeping to the agenda of the court. A series of steps are suggested to facilitate therapeutic change through the process of preparation and writing the report.

Care and Control: Working Alliance Among Adolescents in Authoritarian Settings

“…Thus, a need for clarity regarding the boundaries of confidentiality for young people has been noted by front-line caregivers and professionals and is essential to the establishment of alliance. This was also found by Goldberg and Dimond (2005) who proposed that psychiatric reports commissioned for criminal court proceedings be used to prompt therapeutic change. Obviously, questions of confidentiality arise in courtroom settings.…”

“…(Goldberg & Dimond, 2005, p More specifically, adolescents may benefit from their reading of their report, as this may allow them to integrate the paternalistic/expert position needed to answer the court's question and the collaborative/negotiating position needed for a court-reported assessment to be therapeutic. According to Goldberg and Dimond (2005), the process of preparing a court report within a therapeutic approach challenges the professional to both give the court a dispassionate opinion and engage the young person and family in making positive changes for the adolescent's future.…”

Yurisprudensi Terapeutik: Peran Integratif Psikologi dalam Proses Hukum untuk Melayani Kesejahteraan Pribadi (Well-Being) Klien Hukum

“…Berikut ini adalah contoh 5 (lima) langkah yang diusulkan Goldberg & Dimond (2005) dalam rangka persiapan penyusunan laporan pengadilan bagi seorang klien remaja:  Langkah pertama: Mengklarifikasikan (membuat menjadi sejelas mungkin) pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang diajukan oleh dan/atau untuk pengadilan. Pertanyanpertanyaan yang diajukan hendaknya dimengerti dengan jelas oleh baik klien hukum itu sendiri, keluarganya, maupun suporter klien.…”