Distinguished Contributions to Forensic Psychology Award
Ira K. Packer
K. Packer, Ph.D., ABPP (Forensic), American Academy of Forensic Psychology Distinguished Career Contribution to Forensic Psychology recipient, 2007
Ira K. Packer, Ph.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, directs the highly respected UMMS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Forensic Psychology. He also chairs the Designated Forensic Professional Certification and Training Committee, which is responsible for overseeing the training and credentialing of all psychologists and psychiatrists who provide public-sector forensic evaluations for adults involved in the criminal justice system in Massachusetts. Dr. Packer previously served (1993-1996) as the Assistant Commissioner for Forensic Mental Health in Massachusetts.
Dr. Packer has served in a number of leadership capacities affecting Forensic Psychology nationally. He is a member of the examination faculty for the American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP) and has previously served as National Chair of Examinations, Vice-President, and President of ABFP. He has also served as Vice-President and President of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP). Dr. Packer chaired the Forensic Specialty Council which developed the Education and Training Guidelines for Forensic Psychology (which enables, for the first time, accreditation by APA of Postdoctoral Residencies in Forensic Psychology). He has also served as Vice President (2007) and President (2008-2009) of the Council of Specialties in Professional Psychology.
Dr. Packer received his B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University in 1974 and his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1979. He has authored or co-authored over 40 articles and book chapters, including:
Post-traumatic stress disorder and the insanity defense: A critical analysis. Journal of Psychiatry & Law (1983)
Homicide and the insanity defense: A comparison of sane and insane murderers. Behavioral Sciences & the Law (1987)
The court clinic system in Massachusetts: A therapeutic vs. rights-oriented approach. New England Journal of Civil and Criminal Confinement (1994)Privatized Managed Care and Forensic Mental Health Services. Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law (1998)
Competence to act as one's own attorney. Chapter in K. Heilbrun, G.R. Marczyk, DeMatteo, D. (eds). Forensic Mental Health Assessment: A Casebook. (2001)
Forensic training and practice. In A.M. Goldstein (Ed). Handbook of psychology: Forensic psychology, Vol. 11(2003) with Randy Borum, Ph.D. as co-author
Expert witness testimony: Law, ethics, and practice. In A.M. Goldstein (ed.). Forensic Psychology: Emerging topics and expanding roles. (2007), co-author with Steve Bank, Ph.D. as first author
Specialized Practice in Forensic Psychology: Opportunities and obstacles. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. (2008, in press)