The Validity of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised in Adversarial Proceedings

Abstract

ABSTRACT Three major problems challenge the evidentiary reliability of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) in legal proceedings. First, its validity data obtained via research endeavors do not necessarily extend to its clinical applications. Secondly, there are problems related to defining what amounts to a sufficient data base for scoring the PCL-R. Thirdly, questions remain regarding what constitutes appropriate training for using the PCL-R. Without adequate solutions for these problems, the prejudicial effects of the PCL-R may exceed its probative value.