Forensic Psychology

What Is Forensic Psychology?

Forensic Psychology is the application of the science of psychology to legal issues. The word “forensic” comes from the Latin word “forensis”, meaning “of the forum” and relates the Forum in ancient Rome where the earliest courts were held.

The practice of Forensic Psychology is focused on the interface between psychology and the law. It is a means by which psychologists and psychiatrists apply their science and research to legal questions.

How We Can Help

At Forensic Psyciatric Associates Medical Corporation (fpamed), our expert psychologists can aid the trier of fact by offering expert opinion in a court of law. We take measures to insure that the opinion we offer are as objective as possible and do not offer opinions that are merely possible. We are diligent in our practice to insure that we do not offer opinions that are subjective or speculative. Opinions are only given if they can be done with a reasonable degree of psychological or medical certainty.

Our Areas of Expertise

Our psychologists apply their expertise in a number of legal matters in both criminal and civil law.

Criminal law issues frequently addressed include:

• Sanity
• Criminal Responsibility or Mens Rea (guilty mind)
• Trial Competency
• Waiver of Miranda rights
• Death penalty mitigation
• Battered Woman Syndrome
• Domestic Violence
• Drug Dependence
• Sexual disorders

Civil law issues frequently addressed include:

• Personal Injury including psychological injuries and brain injuries
• Child custody
• Employment discrimination
• Sexual harassment
• Mental disability
• Product liability
• Professional malpractice
• Civil commitment
• Guardianship
• Workers compensation
• Psychological Autopsies

What is Neuropsychology?

Neuropsychologist measure aspects of voluntary cognitive, or brain functioning through the use of a variety of objective standardized tests. The use of such tests makes it possible to compare the individual’s functioning in specific areas statistically to that of other individuals of similar age and educational levels.

The Neuropsychological Assessment

The analysis of the pattern of test data provided by neuropsychological assessment can provide evidence of abnormal functioning, or deficits that may be due to brain damage due to injury or disease, and/or that may be related to personality traits and psychiatric disorders.

An analysis of the ways in which an individual’s pattern of test findings are similar or dissimilar to those of other persons who have suffered comparable injuries, disabilities or diagnoses, makes it is possible to draw conclusions about the likelihood of the plaintiff’s claims about loss of cognitive functioning and emotional distress, or fitness to function at work or in legal proceedings.

The domains that may be assessed in a neuropsychological assessment include intellectual ability (I.Q.), executive functioning (higher order problem solving, concept formation, planning and organization, mental flexibility, focused attention, inhibition or filtering of responses and impulse control), memory, academic skills, visual-motor, sensory motor and fine motor skills, as well as adaptive functioning, or daily living skills and competency. In addition, neuropsychologists typically assess personality and psychological functioning and include measures that provide evidence of atypical responses, degree of effort in responding and malingering of symptoms or memory functioning.