Forensic Evaluations

Forensic mental health evaluations for both adolescents and adults: (a) competence to stand trial or “aid and assist,” (b) psychosexual, (c) waiver of Miranda rights and/or voluntariness of confession, (d) criminal responsibility, (e) violence risk, and (f) fire-setting risk.

a) Competence to stand trial or aid and assist: Does the defendant understand the proceedings against her? Can she assist and cooperate with her defense attorney?  Can she participate in her own defense?

b) Psychosexual: What is the degree of risk for a future sexual offense?

c) Waiver of Miranda rights and/or voluntariness of confession: Did the defendant knowingly and intelligently waive his Miranda rights?  Did the interrogating officer(s) use methods that placed doubt on voluntariness of the confession?

d) Criminal responsibility:

i) Guilty except for insanity: At the time of the offense, did the defendant appreciate that what she was doing was wrong, and/or was she able to control her actions?

ii) Mental state: Is there some doubt surrounding a specific element of the charges brought against the defendant? To provide a hypothetical example, did she knowingly BLANK, and/or did she BLANK with intent?

e) Violence risk: What is the degree of risk for a future violent offense?

f) Fire-setting risk:  What is the degree of risk for a future fire-setting offense?