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About the Organization
The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL, pronounced "apple") is an organization of psychiatrists dedicated to
excellence in practice, teaching, and research in forensic psychiatry. Founded in 1969, AAPL
currently has more than 1,500 members in North America and around the world.
Obtain an
AAPL membership application
Officers and governance
Committees and Task
Force
Positions taken by AAPL
Links to AAPL
members' websites
What is Forensic Psychiatry?
Forensic psychiatry is a medical subspecialty that includes research and clinical practice in the many
areas in which psychiatry is applied to legal issues. While some forensic psychiatrists may
specialize exclusively in legal issues, almost all psychiatrists may, at some point, have to work
within one of the many areas in which the mental health and legal system overlap. AAPL welcomes
both the forensic specialist and the general psychiatrist who seeks information and professional
support in those domains in which psychiatry an the law share a common boundary. These include:
- Violence
- Criminal responsibility
- Competence, civil and criminal
- Child custody and visitation
- Psychic injury
- Mental disability
- Malpractice
- Confidentiality
- Involuntary treatment
- Correctional psychiatry
- Juvenile justice
- Ethics and human rights
The Goals of AAPL
The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law promotes scientific and educational activities in
forensic psychiatry by:
- Facilitating the exchange of ideas and practical clinical experience through publications and regularly scheduled national and regional meetings
- Sponsoring continuing education programs for both forensic and general psychiatrist and other
mental health and legal professionals
- Developing ethical guidelines for forensic psychiatry
- Stimulating research in forensic psychiatry and providing a forum for the presentation of the results of such research
- Developing guidelines for education and training in forensic psychiatry for both general psychiatry residents and
post-residency fellows
- Providing information to the public through a speaker's bureau and published
literature.
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