Animal Maltreatment

Animal maltreatment includes physical or sexual abuse neglect or hoarding of animals and all states have laws prohibiting various forms of animal maltreatment. About one-half have statutory provisions mandating or allowing courts to order forensic mental health assessments of individuals convicted of animal maltreatment offenses. Yet there are few resources on this topic for mental health and legal professionals and none that offer guidance for evaluations in animal maltreatment cases. <p/><em>Animal Maltreatment</em> is the first book to provide an overview of animal maltreatment as a legal clinical and forensic issue. It offers guidance for mental health and legal professionals involved in the adjudication of animal maltreatment offenses with a special focus on forensic mental health assessments in such cases. The book reviews the legal and social contexts of animal maltreatment and then describes research-based and clinical knowledge within the area. It offers perspectives on social and clinical responses in animal maltreatment cases and describes prospects for an area of forensic mental health assessment focused specifically on the forensic evaluation in cases of animal maltreatment. This is the first book that brings together descriptions of the characteristics of those who maltreat animals factors associated with animal maltreatment behaviors information about the impact on the animals themselves and evaluations of offenders to assist courts in decisions about their rehabilitation. <em> Animal Maltreatment</em> will be of great benefit and interest to general and forensic psychologists psychiatrists and social workers as well as lawyers legal scholars and students veterinarians humane law enforcement professionals and others involved in animal welfare advocacy.<br>