Judgment research: Implications for clinical practice and testimony in court

When treating a client or testifying in court, clinicians should be aware of how they make judgments and when their judgments are likely to be correct and when they are likely to be wrong. Research on the validity of judgments is reviewed along with research on the cognitive processes of clinicians. Some of the results are surprising. For example, recent research indicates that clinicians might be able to make moderately valid long-term predictions of violence. Finally, recommendations are made for improving clinical judgment, and comments are made about the appropriate use of statistical prediction rules and automated assessment test reports.