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Report Writing


A report should conclude with a statement of its truth and independence. Model forms of declaration are contained within the practice directions for courts within the UK.


Suggested report structure


Te following is only one way of writing in terms of the advice given above, but may be of use to the reader:


• Cover page • Basic details such as name of client, date of birth, summary of criminal charges • Name and address of instructing party • Purpose of assessment and instructions • Detail of interviews, including date of appointments, where seen, and total amount of time seen • List of all other sources of information, in detail (if not in an appendix) • Details of information obtained from interview/s with the defendant • Mental state examination • Details of information from other sources, other interviews, medical records, other records • Extracts from legal papers relevant to opinion expressed • Description of any tests applied, including by others • Information from other reports • Psychiatric opinion expressed in medical terms including diagnosis and formulation • Legal implications, including relevance of the psychiatric opinion to the legal issues raised • Summary of opinion • Declaration of truth and independence


• Appendices, including of raw data if appropriate, plus or minus full list of documents seen (if not listed in body of the report)


• Brief curriculum vitae, including description of professional status, qualifications and affiliations, plus details of clinical and medico-legal experience


Disclosure


Te completed report is likely to be the property of the third party who requested the report (usually the instructing party) so you will not be permitted to disclose the report without their permission, unless there is a significant risk of death or serious harm to others arising from non-disclosure, or if there is another overriding public interest that it be disclosed for the administration of justice. Reports commissioned by the prosecution are automatically made available to the defence and court; those commissioned by the defence can be ‘not used’, and therefore suppressed.


Changing and adding to reports Reports should not be changed or amended, if requested, unless: • Information should be excluded because it is subject to legal privilege


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