Areas of Expertise

Competency to Stand Trial, also known as Fitness to Stand Trial, is imperative for ensuring that a defendant can comprehend the nature and objective of the legal actions against them and actively cooperate with their defense attorney.

Psychosexual evaluations of sex offenders incorporate a comprehensive risk assessment utilizing actuarial instruments and other research-supported risk and protective factors.

Criminal responsibility or sanity evaluations are critical when a defendant’s mental state at the time of committing an offense is in question. These evaluations can be initiated by the court, defense, or prosecution to establish a clear understanding of the defendant’s mental condition during the crime.

An Independent Medical Exam is conducted by a psychologist without prior involvement in the individual’s care, ensuring an objective assessment without a therapist-patient relationship.

The role of confessions and self-incriminating statements in criminal cases cannot be understated. Confessions are produced in about 50% of criminal cases, where suspects who provide self-incriminating statements are 26% more likely to be found guilty and convicted (Leo, 2006).

In the legal realm, psychological assessments can be compromised by malingering or deception, with individuals potentially presenting themselves dishonestly during interviews and tests to influence the outcome.

Mitigating factors consider the defendant’s mental state and historical mental disorders or psychological trauma, even when these do not qualify for an insanity defense, to argue for a reduced sentence. The contributions of evaluations and reports by experts like Dr. Steven Gaskell are vital for presenting such evidence.

Introduced first in Michigan in 1975, the GBMI verdict was proposed to diminish the success rate of insanity defenses, offering a compromise verdict that, while seemingly compassionate, subjects the defendant to the same penalties as a guilty verdict.