THE PREMIER PROVIDER OF THERAPY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN FLORIDA
Criminal Court Evaluations in Florida
We provide expert psychological evaluations for individuals involved in criminal court cases throughout Florida. We handle cases ordered by the court, requested by defense attorneys, or used for mitigation purposes. Our forensic assessments are conducted with the highest standards of accuracy, ethics, and discretion.
All evaluations are performed by experienced criminal psychologists and
court-recognized forensic experts specifically trained in risk assessment, psychosexual evaluation, mitigation evaluation, and fitness for duty evaluation procedures.
Our Criminal Court 3 Step On-boarding Process
The onboarding process includes an initial intake, conflict check, phone consultation, contract agreement, and retainer payment. At Psychological Affiliates, we follow a clear, supportive, and confidential on-boarding process designed to help new clients feel comfortable and informed from day one.
The first step is a brief phone call or email exchange with our administrative staff. During this we will gather basic information, including full names and dates of birth for a conflict check, your reason for seeking expert services, availability, and any preferences for a provider. This helps us determine the best-fit provider from our experienced team of licensed psychologists and licensed mental health counselors.
Below is the information we request:
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Type of case
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County of case
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All parties’ names and dates of birth for a conflict check including any children
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Names of attorneys representing each party
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Services you are looking to hire the doctor for
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Any due dates, deadlines, or future court dates that the doctor would need to be aware of
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Estimated number of records to review if applicable
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Based on the information you have provided, our team schedules a phone call with your attorney and the chosen provider to determine the next steps.
After the phone call, if your attorney decides to hire our provider, we will send a contract agreement and retainer request to your attorney. Your attorney should then forward the information to you for review. Once you have decided to move forward, you will sign the contract agreement, send it back to us, and submit your retainer payment. All payments are nonrefundable.
Risk Assessments
Violence risk assessments and threat assessments aim to prevent violence, although they differ in scope. Violence risk assessments focus on providing an estimate of an individual’s general propensity for violence, considering factors such as personality traits, history, current functioning, and static and dynamic risk factors. Threat assessments focus on specific threats or potential for harm and violence by an identified subject of concern, focusing on the intent and means of the individual to carry out a harmful act.
The demand for these evaluations is increasing in the legal system as well as workplace, educational, and health care settings. Our risk assessments evaluate the likelihood of future violent or criminal behavior. These are critical in sentencing, parole hearings, and post-conviction settings. We use validated tools such as the HCR-20, Static-99R, and LS/CMI to assess recidivism and public safety risks.
Our forensic psychologists are qualified to serve as fitness for duty evaluators and conduct assessments for individuals facing psychological scrutiny in sensitive or high-risk professions.
Competency
Competency to Proceed Evaluations
Competency evaluations assess whether a defendant in criminal proceedings has a mental illness or cognitive defect that presently impairs their ability to understand their legal situation and rationally participate in the court process. Our forensic psychologists regularly conduct court-ordered and confidential competency evaluations to assess the defendant’s ability to consult with counsel and understand the proceedings against them in a factual and rational manner.
Our experts are highly sought after to provide thorough evaluations and appropriate treatment recommendations to the court in cases where a defendant is found incompetent to proceed.
Specialized Competency Evaluations
Our psychologists also offer specialized competency evaluations:
- Intellectual disability or Autism (Our providers are Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) approved evaluators)
- Competency to Waive Miranda Rights
- Competency of Witnesses to Testify (Child and Adult)
- Competency to Participate in Post Conviction Proceedings
Mitigation
Our experts are frequently retained by defense attorneys in state and federal cases to conduct mitigation evaluations. Mitigation evaluations are effective in plea negotiations and help educate the court on current and historical factors that influenced a defendant’s thinking and judgment, which may support a reduced sentence. This comprehensive evaluation will often include recommendations for treatment and factors that reduce the risk of reoffending/recidivism.
Mitigating circumstances can include, but are not limited to:
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Youthful age of the defendant
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Need for mental health treatment
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Need for substance abuse treatment in nonviolent felony offenses
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Being an accomplice or minor participant in the offense
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Substantial impairment in the capacity of the defendant to conform their behavior to the law or appreciate their behavior
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Acting under duress or domination of another person.
Psychosexual Evaluations
Psychosexual evaluations (PSE) are widely used by attorneys and courts to assess a person’s risk of engaging in sexual abuse and/or repeating a sexual offense. A PSE may be beneficial for a client or individual who is accused of engaging in sexual abuse/sexual violence (e.g., child sexual abuse, sexual assault) or individuals convicted of a sexual offense. A PSE from our office can provide the court with a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s psychological functioning, sexual history, risk factors, and treatment needs to inform decisions regarding sentencing, treatment, and supervision.
Sanity Evaluations
The affirmative defense of insanity requires a defendant to demonstrate they were suffering from a mental infirmity, disease, or defect at the time of the alleged offense which significantly impaired their ability to know the nature, consequences, or wrongfulness of their actions.
Psychological Affiliates’s experts are frequently relied upon by attorneys and criminal courts to conduct a thorough and comprehensive assessment of the defendant’s symptoms and functioning at the time of the offense, identify the relationship between the mental health symptoms to the criminal act, and to provide opinions and treatment recommendations, if applicable.
