Forensic Briefs

Dr. Shoba Sreenivasan - Justice-Involved Veterans

In this episode, Dr. Shoba Sreenivasan explores the complex intersection of military service, trauma, sexual offending, and forensic risk assessment. She discusses why veterans appear disproportionately represented among

Julie Goldenson - Evaluator as Human

In this episode of Forensic Briefs, Dr. Julie Goldenson explores aspirational forensic report writing, emphasizing growth mindset, self-awareness, consultation, and trauma-informed practices as foundations for ethical, h

Michelle Guyton and Alexander Millkey - Forensic Telepsychology

In this special host-led episode, Drs. Michelle Guyton and Alex Millkey discuss the rise of remote forensic psychological evaluations. They review the history of telehealth, summarize research on remote competency and ps

Terry Kukor - Aspirational Forensic Practice and Consulting Work

In this episode, Terry Kukor explores aspirational forensic practice and the role of consultation in strengthening forensic mental health work. He discusses what it means to “strive” under the Specialty Guidelines, empha

Rick Frederick and James Mikesell - Test Data and Transparency

James W. Mikesell, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical and forensic psychologist with over two decades of experience conducting specialized forensic evaluations and consultations in civil, criminal, juvenile, and fa

Rick Frederick and James Mikesell - Test Security and Due Process

In the first of a two-part conversation, Drs. Rick Frederick and James Mikesell explore foundational issues surrounding psychologists as expert witnesses. The discussion addresses ethics, the specialty guidelines, discov

ME Wood - ID and Forensic Evaluations

Dave DeMatteo - Sequential Intercept Model

Dr. David DeMatteo returns to Forensic Briefs to examine the Sequential Intercept Model and the evolution of problem-solving courts. Our conversation explores diversion points across the justice system, the rise and impa

Reid Meloy - Threat Assessment Pathways

In this episode of Forensic Briefs, Dr. Reid Meloy returns to examine threat assessment and management through the development and application of the TRAP-18. He discusses proximal warning behaviors, distal risk factors,

Reid Meloy - Predatory vs. Affective Violence

In this episode of Forensic Briefs, Dr. Reid Meloy examines the psychology of extreme violence through the lens of affective and predatory aggression. Drawing from decades of clinical, forensic, and psychoanalytic work,

Emily Salisbury - Gender Responsive Strategies in Risk Assessment

In this episode of Forensic Briefs, Dr. Emily Salisbury explores gender-responsive strategies within the criminal legal system. She discusses how trauma, relationships, economic marginalization, and gender norms shape wo

Terry Kukor - Relevancy Focused Report Writing

Dr. Terry Kukor explains how relevancy-focused reports shift forensic writing from procedure-based sections to findings-based answers. Learn practical filters for what belongs in a report, how to reduce cognitive strain,

Sharon Kelley - Misdemeanors and the Competency Crisis

This episode examines the national competency crisis, focusing on misdemeanor defendants, rising incompetence findings, statutory responses across states, and the ethical, clinical, and systemic consequences for courts,

Andi Brierley - Peer Mentorship in the Legal System

Andi Brierley joins Forensic Briefs to discuss his journey from incarceration to academia, exploring how lived experience informs desistance, peer mentorship, and rehabilitation. He highlights the power of credibility, c

Raquel Aldana - Immigration Evaluations

Professor Raquel Aldana joins Forensic Briefs to discuss the role of trauma, truth, and narrative in immigration law. She examines how forensic evaluations and storytelling shape asylum outcomes and why culturally sensit

Raquel Aldana - Trauma as inclusion in the immigration context

Professor Raquel Aldana explores how trauma and law intersect in the immigration system, examining how legal processes can both harm and heal—and how forensic mental health evaluations are reshaping justice for displaced

Mike Chavetz - Recommendations for Forensic Record Reviews

Dr. Michael Chafetz is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist in private practice in New Orleans. He specializes in the validity of Social Security disability exams, especially in low-functioning claimants, and fre

Lisa Drago - Use of Social Media in Evaluations

Dr. Lisa Drago explores the growing role of social media in forensic mental health evaluations. She discusses ethical considerations, challenges in interpretation, and the impact of online behavior on credibility, diagno

Andrew Smith – Experts’ Inconclusive Reports Conceal Exculpatory Evidence in Forensic Cartridge Case Comparisons

Andrew M. Smith is an Associate Professor of Cognitive Psychology at Iowa State University, where he investigates memory, judgment, and decision-making, particularly within legal contexts such as eyewitness identificatio

Elizabeth Foster and Sharon Kelley - Feedback in Forensic Mental Health Assessments Short

Dr. Lizzy Foster and Dr. Sharon Kelley discuss the ethical and legal challenges of providing feedback in forensic mental health assessments, offering a practical framework to help evaluators balance transparency, respect