Uses and Benefits of Forensic Psychological Evaluations

<Forensic psychology is the application of psychology to legal questions. For the custody litigant, a parent with a long history of residence with a child while the other parent wants to move out of state, a bonding study can show deleterious effects of separation of child and parent. For a defendant accused of a criminal act: the assessment can let the court know the defendant and that the allegations do not necessarily reflect accurately on the defendant, thus can generate mitigating factors. For the prosecutor and law enforcement: it can assist with gathering of information from child victims who have been injured. For victims of trauma and brain injury: neuropsychological assessment can identify the nature and severity and impact of trauma and assist plaintiffs in getting their lives back on track. For probate disputes: it can identify problems with testamentary capacity. With termination of rights: studies can evaluateif treatment is effective or if there a detrimental effect of terminating rights. For defendants: it demonstrates if they really understand criminal proceedings or are able to participate in plea hearings. In sexual abuse allegations: we can ask if the forensic standard followed in child interviewing. In social security SSI appeals: one can determine if the denial was based on valid and reliable evidence. Forensic evaluations give the individual a voice in addressing the court. The goal is to assist the courts in knowing the person rather than the person being viewed as a case number!