Psychological assessment and expert reporting for criminal matters
Criminal proceedings raise questions about a person's psychological functioning, relevant history, behaviour, circumstances and risk.
Forensic psychological assessment assists by providing a full psychological review and addresses questions of diagnosis, competence, fitness, precipitants and risk.
Illuminate FP&L provides psychological assessment and expert reporting for criminal forensic matters within the scope of professional competence. This includes the provision of oral evidence where required.
Assessment areas
Depending on the referral and the questions to be addressed, assessments may involve:
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Pre-sentence psychological assessment for diagnosis, culpability, and relationship to offending.
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Relevant psychological, developmental and psychosocial history.
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Factors associated with offending and behavioural patterns.
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Recidivism, sentence and psychological risk.
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Competence and fitness to plead.
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Other psychological questions arising in criminal proceedings.
The scope of each assessment is determined by the particular referral. Not every assessment addresses every area listed above.
Assessment and reporting
Forensic opinions require careful consideration of the available evidence, the reliability and limitations of the information, and the relationship between the findings and the referral questions.
Reports are prepared to set out the relevant background, assessment findings, reasoning and conclusions clearly. Opinions are formed independently and reflect the evidence available within the limits of the assessment.
Artificial Intelligence is not used in the assessment, formulation or reporting in any matter undertaken by Illuminate FP&L.
Referrals and enquiries
Legal practitioners and other appropriate professional referrers are invited to contact Illuminate FP&L to discuss the proposed assessment, the questions requiring an opinion, relevant documentation, costs and availability.
