The Use of Psychologists and Psychological Testing

• Author: Nathan Pollock
• Pages: 25-37

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CHAPTER 3

The Use of Psychologists

and Psychological Testing

Nathan Pollock

I. INTRODUCTION

It is not uncommon for psychiatrists and psychologists to work together in conducting forensic assess-

ments. Oen, a forensic psychologist will request psychiatric consultation for an opinion regarding

mental status or psychiatric treatment options. Likewise, a forensic psychiatrist may request psycho-

logical assessment of cognitive functioning or personality structure to aid in diagnostic clarication or

risk assessment.

Unique to the practice of clinical psychology is the application of psychological testing to evaluate

dimensions of human thought, aect and behaviour. Psychological tests provide objective information

about an individual’s personal, emotional, and social adjustment. is chapter will focus on how psych-

ologists and psychological testing can contribute to the psychiatric assessment of individuals facing

criminal prosecution.

A. What is a Forensic Psychologist?

Forensic psychologists tend to focus their clinical practice on court work, but are oen involved in pre-

sentence consultation with police and lawyers, and in post-court work within the correctional system.

e practice of forensic psychology touches on many aspects of law enforcement, the judicial system, and

corrections. Forensic psychologists are involved in:

• criminal proling;

• lie detection;

• witness interview;

• forensic hypnosis;

• jury selection;

• hostage negotiation;

• survivor counsel ling;

• assessment of individuals facing criminal prosecution;

• assessment of personal injury for civil litigation;

• custody and access evaluations;

• oender classication;

• assessment of oenders for conditional release; and

• programming for community integration.

A comprehensive review of these many areas is beyond the scope of this chapter. e discussion here will

focus primarily on the use of psychological consultation in the psychiatric assessment of individuals in

the criminal justice system.