Third Party Information in Forensic Assessment

Abstract

AbstractThird‐party information in forensic assessment is obtained from sources other than the individual being evaluated, most often from relevant records or interviews of collateral observers. Although third‐party information (TPI) has long played an important role in forensic assessment, there has been relatively little discussion of why it is important or focused analysis of the relevant research, law, ethics, and practice literature in this area. This chapter provides such a discussion. TPI is described as particularly important in forensic assessment for a number of reasons, including its facilitation of assessing response style and testing hypotheses, its application in recently developed assessment tools that require collateral sources, and its promotion of the effective and credible communication of findings. Relevant literature is reviewed in the areas of empirical research, law, ethics, and practice. The chapter also provides a discussion of how to obtain, weigh, and integrate information from third‐party sources into the overall forensic assessment.