Friday 25 July 2014

By Miranda Sweeney





There is a requisite level of education required to perform the tasks of a forensic neuropsychologist. He or she must be qualified in several fields, including forensic psychology and clinical neuropsychology. The forensic neuropsychologist in Los Angeles must meet the legal standards required in the State of California.



He or she will finish an education that prepares him or her to be a licensed practicing psychologist. Additional training is needed to be board certified. Only those with the highest qualifications are eligible to be board certified.



The job involves evaluating litigants who are charged with a crime. There is extensive testing in specific areas. Some alleged criminals are skilled at hiding their true state of mind. For example, he or she may try to fake insanity to avoid being sent to prison.



This offshoot of clinical neuropsychology works to provide information relevant to a legal trial or appeal. A litigant may be judged unfit for trial or legally insane in some cases. The testing is based on that used to validate whether a patient is brain impaired for medical evaluation.



The only way it is different is the application is to those charged with criminal activity. Brain dysfunction in the neurological or non-neurological sense will be discovered. The results of testing are turned over to the lawyer who requested the evaluation.



The person who enters this field will have medical knowledge in addition to psychological expertise. Also valuable is any legal knowledge. He or she will be working with litigants charged with vicious crimes such as kidnapping, robbery and murder.



The testing is done for the purpose of helping the attorneys. In some instances a jury has already found the litigant guilty and he or she is imprisoned. Then an appeal is filed and this is when the forensic neuropsychological exam becomes crucial to the outcome of the appeal.



A high income is possible for the psychologist working in this capacity. The testing procedure is grueling. Many specific facets of the litigants personality are reviewed. Social maladjustment and the inability to hold a job are often discovered.



A serious malady such as borderline personality disorder is often found. Many of these alleged criminals are psychopaths, individuals with no concern for the feelings of their victim. These are not valid excuses since they do not meet the requirements of legal insanity. Insanity and legal insanity differ in several ways.



The testing process is extensive. It can take two or three days to complete. The phases of these tests include cognitive ability, perception, motor coordination and attention span encompassing visual and auditory facets.



In addition the presence of an emotional disorder can be verified. If there is a learning disability it may have resulted in impaired judgement. All levels of skills are important.



A final report is compiled for the attorney to use in planning the case. After testing, the forensic neuropsychologist will be employed to serve as a witness during a trial. Most cases being tried involve rapists, home invaders and murderers. It is a large responsibility making sure they do not go free to hurt another victim.









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