Citation

Heim N. Forensic Sci. Int. 1987; 34(1-2): 29-38.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1987, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3596404

Abstract

The empirical study presented concerns juvenile court cases (aggressive offences) in West Berlin during which the offenders (N = 94) were subject to psychiatric expert testimony (1975-1982). The conditional factors determining forensic-psychiatric testimony are examined and the investigation shows, with the aid of discriminant analysis, that differences in the form of the expertise given are best explained by the variable 'convention-orientation'. Ratings on the quality of psychiatric letters (N = 49) were based on the semantic differential technique. Employing factor analysis, three independent aspects determining the quality of expert opinion are revealed, namely the factors 'cogency of message', role-conception', and 'recipient-orientation'.

Language: en