Welcome to Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services
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Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services is committed to providing expert Forensic Psychological Evaluations to attorneys and insurance companies along with expert witness testimony in a variety of forensic psychology specialty areas. Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services also provides general psychological testing and Psychological Evaluations to individuals. The primary Clinical and Forensic Psychologist at Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services is Steven Gaskell, Psy. D. Dr. Gaskell has extensive expertise in forensic psychology including performing a variety of Forensic and general clinical Psychological Evaluations. Dr. Gaskell is license eligible in all 50 states and he currently is a licensed psychologist in Illinois, Georgia, and Kansas.
Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services has offices in the Chicago, Illinois and Atlanta, Georgia area. There is an office location in Naperville, Illinois and Atlanta, Georgia and appointments can also be scheduled at one of four convenient office locations in downtown Chicago. Forensic Psychological Evaluations for the courts can also be completed throughout Illinois and in the states of Georgia and Kansas. Cases from other states will be taken on a case by case basis.
Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services offers detailed comprehensive expert Forensic Psychology Evaluation Services in areas in which we have specialized knowledge, skill, experience, and education including Psychological Testing and Forensic Psychological Evaluations in the following areas:
Criminal Law
- Competency to Stand Trial/ Fitness to Stand Trial
- Criminal Responsibility or Sanity at the Time of the Offense
- Mitigating Factors Assessment
- Miranda Rights Issues (voluntariness of waiver, competency to confess)
- Malingering and Deception Evaluation
- Future risk assessment
- Death Penalty Evaluations
Dr. Gaskell has completed more than 1000 Forensic Psychological Assessments including over 500 Competency to Stand Trial or Fitness to Stand Trial psychological evaluations and he has provided expert testimony in court on pretrial issues such as Competency to Stand Trial or Fitness to Stand Trial on numerous occasions. Dr. Gaskell submits a written forensic psychological evaluation report addressing Competency to Stand Trial or Fitness to Stand Trial, which includes:
- The underlying bases for any diagnosis (mental disability or impairment);
- A description of mental disability or impairment, if any, and the severity of any disability, defect or impairment;
- An opinion on whether and to what extent the mental disability, defect or impairment impairs the defendant’s ability to understand the nature and purpose of the proceedings against him and/or to assist in his defense.
- The issues of potential malingering (exaggerating or feigning symptoms of mental disability/impairment/disorder) will be evaluated.
- If it was opined that a person was incompetent to stand trial, the potential for restoration to competency will be addressed. Expert testimony is also provided when necessary in competency to stand trial cases.
Dr. Gaskell has completed more than 500 Criminal Responsibility evaluations and he has provided expert testimony regarding sanity at the time of the offense. When asked for an opinion about Criminal Responsibility or Sanity at the Time of the Offense, Dr. Gaskell first determines by examination and review of records whether a defendant’s mental or emotional state at the time of the alleged offense meets the threshold requirement for a major mental disease or defect. As a forensic psychologist, Dr. Gaskell then renders an opinion as to whether that condition substantially impaired the defendant’s ability to appreciate the wrongfulness of the criminal act for which he or she is accused, or whether the defendant’s mental condition substantially impaired his or her capacity to conform their conduct to the requirements of the law, or both. In reports and expert testimony, Dr. Gaskell presents detailed evidence that the defendant’s clinical mental state either does or does not satisfy the legal definition of insanity. Dr. Gaskell also uses psychological testing to evaluate the defendant for the possibility of feigning or malingering. Psychological examination reports address the psychological data in terms of the legal criteria regarding Criminal Responsibility or Sanity at the Time of the Offense in the jurisdiction of the evaluation.
Sexual Deviance
- Sexual Assault Allegations
- Sex Offender Evaluations
- Sexually Violent Person, Sexually Violent Predator Evaluations
- Pedophilia
- Paraphilias
- Future risk assessment – Likelihood of Sexual Re-Offense
Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services offers sex offender evaluations of individuals charged with a sexual crime. Dr. Steven Gaskell, forensic psychologist, has completed over 1000 Forensic Psychological Evaluations including more than 500 evaluations of sexual offenders, mostly within the context of Sexually Violent Person or Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) evaluations. Dr. Gaskell has extensive expertise evaluating individuals charged with sexual crimes. Such psychological evaluations typically include a comprehensive review of all available medical, legal, and treatment records, psychological testing including the use of empirically validated actuarial instruments (i.e., Static-99R, Static-2002R, MnSOST-R), application of additional empirically based risk and protective factors to sexually reoffend, and a clinical interview. The psychological report outlines the individual’s mental disorder(s), the person’s estimated risk to sexually reoffend (e.g., Low, Moderate or High), sexual deviancy issues, treatment amenability and other recommendations as appropriate.
Civil Court and Other Evaluations
- Workman’s Compensation Psychological Evaluations
- Evaluations for Insurance Companies
- Psychological Evaluation for Disability Determination
- Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs)
- Civil Competency/Capacity Evaluations
- Malingering and Deception
Consultation Services
- Analysis of other expert’s psychological reports
- Analysis of other expert’s depositions and courtroom testimony
- Trial preparation consultation
- Expert testimony
Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services offers psychological evaluations, psychological testing, psychological assessment for insurance companies and attorneys in disability insurance matters and Independent Medical Examinations (IME).
Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services performs Court Ordered Psychological Evaluations for individuals on a case by case basis. Mental health services such as General Clinical Psychological Evaluations are also provided including psychological testing and psychological assessment.
Psychological Testing and Psychological Evaluation is offered in the following areas of Clinical Psychology:
- Diagnostic Psychological Evaluations
- Cognitive Assessment including Intelligence and Memory Testing
- Achievement Testing
- Learning Disability Assessment
- Personality Assessment
- General Psychopathology Assessment
- ADHD Screening
- Screening of Vocational Interests
Diagnostic Psychological Evaluations involve the integration of available records, a clinical interview and psychological testing into Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition – Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) diagnoses. Conclusions and recommendations are offered that are relevant to the referral question.
Intelligence Testing includes psychological evaluation of general intellectual ability (IQ), as well as, clusters of abilities including verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory and processing speed. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – IV (WAIS-IV) is the most commonly used and accepted psychological test of intellectual ability. The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence – II (WASI-II) is a brief measure of intellectual ability.
Memory Testing involves a brief psychological examination of cognitive status and then a thorough psychological assessment of various components of memory including Auditory Memory, Visual Memory, Visual Working Memory, Immediate and Delayed memory, and Overall Retention of Information. Psychological testing assessing memory most often includes such tests as the Wechsler Memory Scales – IV (WMS-IV) and the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT).
Achievement Testing includes the comprehensive psychological examination of Oral Expression, Listening Comprehension, Written Expression, Basic Reading Skills, Reading Comprehension, Reading Fluency, Math Calculation Skills, and Math Reasoning. Examples of psychological testing measures of achievement include the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement – III (WJ III ACH) and the Wide Range Achievement Test – 4 (WRAT-4).
Learning Disability Assessment involves a review of available academic records and prior psychological testing, as well as current psychological testing including intellectual and achievement testing.
General Psychopathology Assessment and Personality Assessment includes psychological examination of various clinical areas such as: somatic complaints, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, emotional problems, behavioral problems, thought dysfunction, mania, paranoia, psychosis, drug and alcohol problems, borderline traits, antisocial traits, narcissistic traits, aggression, dominance, stress, warmth, and treatment barriers and treatment amenability. Psychological testing in this area often includes one or more of the following psychological assessment instruments: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 2 (MMPI-2); Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 2 – Restructured Form (MMPI-2 RF); Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI); Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory – III (MCMI-III), Symptom Checklist – 90 – R (SCL-90-R).
ADHD Sreeening consists of psychological testing that assesses a broad range of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) problem behaviors including: Inattention/Memory Problems; Impulsivity/Emotional Lability; Hyperactivity/Restlessness; Problems with Self-Concept.
Forensic Psychologist – Dr. Steven Gaskell
The primary Clinical and Forensic Psychologist at Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services, Inc. is Steven Gaskell, Psy. D. Dr. Gaskell has extensive expertise in forensic psychology including performing a variety of Forensic and general clinical Psychological Evaluations. Dr. Gaskell is license eligible in all 50 states and he currently is a licensed psychologist in Illinois, Georgia, and Kansas.
As a forensic psychologist, Dr. Gaskell assists the Trier of fact in coming to the most accurate conclusions. He has completed more than 1000 Forensic Psychological Evaluations including over 500 pretrial forensic psychology evaluations of defendants regarding Competency to Stand Trial and Criminal Responsibility (Sanity at the Time of the Offense). He also has significant expertise in completing Sex Offender Evaluations. He has completed more than 500 Sex Offender Risk Assessment Evaluations. He is a Clinical Member of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) and he is a registered evaluator with the Illinois Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB). He also has been qualified as a Sex Offender Risk Assessment Evaluator by the DuPage County Department of Probation and Court Services. He has extensive experience in many areas of forensic psychology.
Dr. Gaskell has provided expert testimony on over 90 occasions and he has been both a forensic psychologist expert witness for the prosecution and a forensic psychologist expert witness for the defense. He has been qualified as an expert witness in Forensic Psychology and he has provided expert testimony in the following Illinois counties: Cook County, Will County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County, Kankakee County, Winnebago County, Ogle County, Bureau County, Fulton County, Knox County, Champaign County, Sangamon County, Madison County, Boone County and Jefferson County. He has also provided expert testimony in the area of forensic psychology in several counties throughout Georgia and Kansas. He has performed psychological evaluations for the Federal Courts. He will perform forensic psychological evaluations near Atlanta, Georgia including, but not limited to the following Georgia counties: Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Cobb County, Dekalb County, Clayton County, Walton County, and Newton County.
The practice of forensic psychology involves the understanding of applicable laws in the relevant jurisdictions, in order to make psycholegal evaluations and interact competently with judges, attorneys, and other legal professionals. A critical skill in forensic psychology is the ability to testify in court, reformulating psychological findings into the legal language of the of the courtroom to provide information to the court in a way that is easily understood. As a forensic psychologist, Dr. Gaskell has a fundamental knowledge and understanding of the legal and professional standards that govern his participation as a forensic psychologist and an expert in legal proceedings. Dr. Gaskell uses various methods such as standardized psychological testing and interviewing to assist courts, judges, and attorneys answer important legal questions. His methods and reports have withstood rigorous scrutiny in court. They are objective, comprehensive, fair, and defensible. He has an obligation to provide services in a manner that is consistent with the highest standards of forensic psychology.
