review by Sibel Cakir, MD
in Amer J Psych 164:1762 Nov 2007
full text of review
Oxford Press book description

Stalking is a form of domestic terrorism in our age. Accordingly, mental health professionals must be prepared to deal with both stalkers and their victims. The media is mostly focused on the criminal and his or her exposure and prosecution. Victim advocacy organizations and publications are more concerned with the specifics of the traumatic experience. Thus, despite the interest in this hot topic, a multidimensional approach to stalking that includes a psychiatric perspective is missing. Dr. Pinals and contributing authors, from the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry’s Committee on Psychiatry and the Law, provide a comprehensive analysis of the psychological, social, developmental, and legal dimensions of stalking. Case vignettes and public records of stalking incidents make the book highly illustrative and understandable...

Despite the foreword, in which the authors warn against offering diagnostic labels without analysis of the root causes of the problematic behavior, the authors’ approach to the subject of stalking seems to be more descriptive forensic psychiatry than psychodynamic insight. The origins of stalking behavior and its relationship to violence, destructiveness, malignant aggression, and personality disorders are mentioned only briefly. Nevertheless, the book presents a very informative approach that summarizes recent research findings and provides vignettes of management strategies that can be a useful guide for professionals working in forensic psychiatry and law enforcement.
full text of review
Oxford Press book description