Report Writing for Forensic Evaluation
10 hours | 10 CEs
This on-demand professional training program on Report Writing for Forensic Evaluations is presented by Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP. This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards various certificates. Enroll to earn credit and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues. This program counts as a foundational program in the certificates:
- Criminal Forensic Assessment Certificate
- Child Custody Evaluation Certificate
- Civil Forensic Assessment Certificate
- Juvenile Forensic Assessment Certificate
- Violence Risk Assessment Certificate
Conducting well-constructed forensic psychological evaluations is not enough to persuade judges, attorneys, and other referral sources about the adequacy of one’s work and opinions. Reports and affidavits are the primary vehicles by which psychologists communicate to judges, attorneys, and others what data they considered, what actions they took, the opinions they formed, and the underlying reasoning.
Thus, writing clear and concise reports is critical to most forensic psychologists’ practice. Research on forensic examiners’ report-writing practices is reviewed; how forensic practice guidelines, the ethics code, and rules of evidence and procedure shape reports are considered; principles for the organization and structure of forensic reports are proposed, and elements of good and bad reports are highlighted using multiple real-world examples from redacted reports.
More focused matters such as the use of jargon; specificity in word choice; identifying sources of information; distinguishing between observation and inference; and common report writing errors are also considered. Finally, preparing affidavits and how their structure and substance differ from reports is tackled.
Intended Audience
This on-demand professional training program is intended for mental health and other allied professionals
Experience Level
This on-demand professional training program is appropriate for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level clinicians.
CE / CPD Credit
APA, ASWB, CPA, NBCC Click here for state and other regional board approvals.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program you will be able to:
Describe the various functions that reports and affidavits which summarize forensic evaluations serve
Describe reports that meet obligations imposed by common rules of evidence and rules of procedure
Describe reports that meet obligations imposed by the ethics code and related practice guidelines
Describe 3 reasons for, and the value of, including in forensic reports competing for hypotheses, alternative explanations, and data that are inconsistent with one’s expert opinions.
Describe reports that make clear distinctions between facts, assumptions, reasoning, opinions, and expert opinions, and describe the value of doing so
Describe jargon that is most typically included in reports and the advantages and disadvantages of including such
Describe reports that are jargon-free
Describe common report writing errors
Describe test results in their reports in two different ways
Describe the primary purpose of affidavits and describe how they differ from reports in function and development
Presented By
Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP
Dr. Otto is Director of Division of Forensic Behavioral Sciences at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is licensed to practice psychology in Florida and is board certified in clinical psychology and forensic psychology (ABPP). Dr. Otto has authored books...
Curriculum
1. Introduction
2. Principles
3. Appropriate Data Exclusions and Inclusion
4. Evaluation, Logic, Reasoning, and Opinions are Transparent
5. Nuts and Bolts of Report Writing
6. Other Issues
7. Report Reviews
Develop a Specialty Area of Practice
Transforming mental health professionals into experts
Expert Instructors
Professional training developed and delivered by the field's leading experts
CE Credit
Earn CE credit for meaningful professional training that will elevate your practice
Convenience & Flexibility
Learn at your own pace, from wherever you might be!
Earn Certificates
This is badge-earning course, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like Linkedin.
CE Sponsorship Information
Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.