Forensic Psychological Evaluations

Court-Ordered/Requested Mental Health Evaluations

Mid-Atlantic Forensics Services provides comprehensive forensic psychological evaluations designed to assist adults and juveniles in legal and criminal cases.

We conduct a multitude of court-ordered assessments, including those requested by Department of Social Services (parents and children), and by Department of Probation and Parole.

Competency to Stand Trial

Through different evaluation processes, our forensic psychologists can help deteremine whether the defendant has the ability to adequately understand the legal proceedings, as well as participate meaningfully in their own defense.

‘Competency to stand trial’ is a fundamental legal principle that ensures a defendant is mentally capable of facing trial and comprehending the charges against them, the roles of the participants in the trial (such as the judge, prosecutor, and defense attorney), and the possible consequences of the trial’s outcome.

Competency to Proceed

Competency to proceed refers to a defendant’s mental fitness to engage in any stage of the criminal justice process, not just the trial. It focuses on the defendant’s ability to proceed with various legal actions, such as pretrial hearings, plea negotiations, or sentencing.

In comparison to ‘competency to stand trial,’ ‘competency to proceed’ is a broader concept that applies to the defendant’s competence at any stage of the legal process, not just during the trial itself. This could include competency to enter a plea, competency to waive counsel, competency to understand plea bargaining, and other pretrial actions.

Criminal Responsibility

This refers to the legal principle that a person can be held accountable for their actions if they are found to have committed a crime with the necessary mental state or intent, and without a legitimate legal excuse. Essentially, it means that the defendant must be held responsible for their actions unless they meet specific criteria, such as being unable to understand the nature of their actions or control their behavior due to a mental illness or defect.

In the context of forensic psychology, criminal responsibility often comes into question in cases involving insanity defenses, where a defendant argues that they should not be held criminally responsible for their actions due to a mental illness at the time of the crime. Through assessments, we help the courts determine whether the defendant should be held accountable for their actions or whether they should be treated for mental health issues instead.

Mental Status at the Time of the Offense

Also referred to ‘competency at the time of the offense‘ or ‘criminal responsibility,‘ determing the ‘mental state at the time of the offense’ is a critical component of forensic psychology. This assessment helps establish whether the defendant had the mental capacity to understand the nature of their actions, the wrongfulness of those actions, and/or whether they were able to control their behavior at the time of the crime. Such an evaluation is crucial in legal defenses such as insanity defenses or for understanding the degree of criminal responsibility.

Risk Assessments

• Violence Risk Assessment: We use a combination of clinical judgment, structured tools, and standardized risk assessment models to assess whether an individual is likely to commit violent acts in the future.
• Sexual Risk Assessment: The goal this assessment is to evaluate whether the individual’s mental state, behavior, or psychological condition influenced their criminal actions and whether they pose a danger of committing future sexual offenses.
• Mental Health Risk Assessment: A structured process used to evaluate an individual’s mental health and the potential risks they pose to themselves or others. These are commonly used in forensic settings, clinical settings, and crisis situations to make informed decisions about care, safety, and management of mental health conditions.

Sentencing Assessments

The goal is to help determine the most appropriate sentence, which can include prison time, probation, or alternative forms of rehabilitation, based on the defendant’s characteristics and circumstances. These assessments assist judges in making informed sentencing decisions that are tailored to the individual, aiming for a just and effective resolution to the case. 

Custody-Related Evaluations

Psychological assessments of parents and/or children may be required in various legal contexts. These assessments help the courts understand the parents’ and children’s mental health, behavior, and interpersonal dynamics.

The goal is to provide the court with an objective evaluation of the family situation, which can help guide legal decisions that are in the best interests of the child and ensure appropriate care and protection.

Psychological Assessments of Parents

Our experts may evaluate whether a parent is fit to care for a child, especially in cases involving concerns about mental illness, substance abuse, or domestic violence.

Psychological Assessments of Children

We employ a variety of research-informed techniques to evaluate the child’s cognitive, emotional, and social development.

Evaluations Concerning Juveniles

Juvenile Transfer/Waiver Evaluations

These evaluations help determine whether the juvenile should face adult charges and be subjected to adult sentencing. Juvenile transfer evaluations are critical in ensuring that decisions regarding a juvenile’s involvement in the adult criminal system are based on sound psychological assessments, addressing both their individual circumstances and their ability to be rehabilitated within the juvenile system.

Juvenile MAST Evaluations

The Juvenile Massachusetts Adolescent Screening Tool (MAST) is a structured instrument designed to evaluate substance abuse and related issues in juvenile offenders or adolescents at risk for substance use problems. The tool is used by forensic psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals to assess the extent of substance abuse and its impact on a young person’s behavior, well-being, and involvement in criminal activities.

General Psychological Evaluations

Capacity Evaluations

The purpose of capacity evaluations is to assist in determining if an individual is able to make their own legal, financial and/or medical decisions or if they need a power-of-attorney.

Psychological services may include clinical interviews, cognitive functioning assessments, psychological testing, as well as other assessments.

• Medical capacity: We will assess whether the individual understands the medical condition, the treatment options, and the potential risks and benefits of those options. The evaluation focuses on their ability to provide informed consent or refuse treatment.
• Financial capacity: The evaluation may focus on the individual’s ability to understand and manage financial decisions, including their understanding of income, expenditures, assets, liabilities, and the consequences of financial decisions.
• Testamentary capacity (making a will): The psychologist evaluates whether the person understands the nature of their property and how they wish to distribute it, as well as their ability to appreciate the consequences of the distribution.

Cognitive Evaluations

These are assessments that focuses on an individual’s cognitive functioning, including aspects like memory, attention, problem-solving abilities, reasoning, intelligence, and other mental processes that are crucial for understanding their behavior and decision-making capabilities.

Cognitive evaluations are used in forensic settings to assess whether an individual’s cognitive abilities are impacted by factors such as mental illness, brain injury, developmental disorders, or other conditions that could affect their behavior, capacity to stand trial, or criminal responsibility.

Diagnostic Clarity Evaluations

These are an in-depth assessments conducted by mental health professionals to clarify, confirm, or refine psychological diagnoses. Diagnostic clarity evaluations are typically used when there is uncertainty about a person’s mental health condition, overlapping symptoms, or when previous diagnoses need further examination to ensure they are accurate.

Personality/Emotional Functioning Evaluations

These focus on an individual’s personality traits, emotional stability, and psychological functioning. Personality/emotional functioning evaluations are conducted to better understand how a person’s psychological state, emotional responses, and personality characteristics may influence their behavior, decision-making, and interactions in various legal contexts. These evaluations help inform legal decisions related to competency, criminal responsibility, sentencing, and risk assessments.

Personal Injury Evaluations

These are psychological assessments conducted to determine the impact of a physical injury on an individual. Personal injury evaluations are often used in legal cases, such as lawsuits related to accidents, workplace injuries, or medical malpractice, to establish the extent of psychological harm and its connection to the injury or event.

Trauma and Emotional Injury Evaluations

Similar to personal injury evaluations, trauma and emotional injury evaluations are specialized psychological assessments designed to determine the psychological and emotional impact of a traumatic event on an individual. 

Worker’s Compensation Evaluations

These are conducted to determine the extent of an employee’s injury, illness, or psychological condition that arises from or is exacerbated by their workplace environment or job duties. Worker’s compensation evaluations may be necessary to determine an employee’s eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits and guiding treatment or return-to-work plans.

Additional Expertise

Treatment Recommendations

Based on our evaluations, our professionals can tailor treatment suggestions to address the mental health needs of individuals involved in the judicial system, while considering the legal context and requirements.

Critical Review of Records and Other Mental Health Professionals’ Evaluations

A critical review involves a detailed and objective analysis of existing documents, assessments, and reports prepared by other professionals. This process is typically used in legal, clinical, or forensic contexts to ensure that the evaluations are thorough, valid, and consistent with best practices and established standards.