Risk Assessment

Over the weekend, I was able to get a hold of a reference book for the forensic mental health assessment. The book is authored by three very well known research psychologists in the field, one being a graduate professor who I recently connected with via LinkedIn. I am planning on using this book to help guide my vignettes for my final product which will essentially be forensic mental health assessments. Overall, I am at least familiar with each chapter, and I consider the book to be a reference guide that collects all the basics of evaluation practiced in forensic psychology.

I also got the chance to watch a documentary on the trials of the Menendez brothers, which raised various legal and psychological questions in my mind. While it is not directly related to what Dr. Correa and I work with, it was a fascinating perspective on the battered person syndrome which touches on the psychological condition of abuse victims.

This evening, I visited Dr. Correa to discuss her recent testimony on a civil commitment case as well as the basics of risk assessment for violence. She was able to bring the instructor’s guide and sample form for the HCR-20, a popular tool used to assess the risk of violence. This tool is primarily used in the question of civil commitment, as it assesses relevant history, clinical status, and future predictions.