AGENDA
36th ANNUAL FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM MARCH 18-20, 2021
HOSTED BY
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021
AGENDA Thursday, March 18 (All Times PT) 7:45-12:15
Civil/Juvenile Issues: 5 Presentations (4 CE credits) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 8:00-8:45
Beyond DSM-5: The future of psychiatric/psychological diagnoses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 8:45-9:30
Case studies in psychological injury claims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 9:45-10:30
Unfair Termination as Consequence of Reporting Workplace Sexual Harassment. . . . . 5 10:30-11:15
The life cycle of sex trafficking and the Sex Trafficking Offender Prevention (STOP) screening measure for juveniles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 11:30-12:15
Parental competency to waive Miranda for a juvenile defendant: A case study. . . . . . . . 6 1:00-4:15
Domestic Violence/Sexual Abuse (3 CE credits). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Assessments (3 CE credits) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1:00-1:45
Domestic/child abuse and filicide; Parental fitness evaluations: Ethical issues and protective measures —Part 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Forensic psychological role in screening for racial microaggressions in police: An antiracism paradigm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1:45-2:30
Blind spots: Challenges in evaluating and navigating cases of mother-daughter sexual abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Cultural considerations in child abuse assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 2:30-2:45 PM
2:45-3:30
Longitudinal data on sexual offense recidivism in a population previously adjudicated sexually dangerous. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Similarities between nonconsensual image sharing, cyberbullying and sexual assault: Implications for DSM-5 PTSD construct validity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 3:30-4:15
Is sexual contact ever consensual when there is intimate partner violence in a relationship? An evaluation protocol to assess risk in cross-over sex offender . . . . . . . . . 10 Did you feel the heat or see the light? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4:30-5:30 PM 8:00-12:30
Friday, March 19:15-7:45 AM
Ethics and Practice Issues (4 CE credits). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 8:00-8:45
Sexualization of the doctor-patient relationship: A legal and ethical perspective. . . . . . 11 8:45-9:30
Domestic/child abuse and filicide; Parental fitness evaluations: Ethical issues and protective measures —Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 9:30-9:45 AM
2
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
9:30-10:45
Tarasoff, and duty to warn; Menendez and when a therapist (or attorney) is threatened, and limits of confidentiality in mental health and law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 10:45-12:30
Forensic skills workshop: The role of the psychologist in civil and criminal litigation . . 12 1:15-4:35
Murder/Capital Punishment (3 CE credits). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1:15-2:00
Neuropsychology of mass murder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2:00-2:45
Adaptive functioning evaluations of foreign nationals facing capital punishment: Distinctive issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2:45-3:00 PM 3:00-3:45
Disorganized attachment, complex trauma, and pathological dissociation in a serial mur-derer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 3:45-4:35
Shining light on the dark figure of sexual recidivism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 8:00-12:30
Saturday, March 20
Competency/Forensic Evaluations and Assessments: 5 Presentations (4 CE credits) .. 14 8:00-8:45
Special education history: Implications for forensic assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 8:45-9:30
The how, what and why of education related opinion making for custody evaluators, courts, and attorneys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 9:45-10:30
Neuroscience and competence to stand trial: A lawyer’s literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 10:30-11:15
11:15-11:30
11:30-12:30
Why mental health professionals should not evaluate certain types of criminal competency: Isn’t that the judge’s job?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 12:30-1:15 PM 1:15-4:30
Competency/Forensic Evaluations and Assessments (3 CE credits) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 1:15-2:00
Amnesia implication in criminal competency evaluations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 2:00-2:45
Assessments of children whose parents are in deportation proceedings: Clinical data evidences a worsening of psychological symptoms atypical of peers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 2:45-3:00 PM 3:00-3:45
Institutional alternatives for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the criminal justice system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 3:45-4:30
Assessing competency to waive Miranda rights: Conceptual and forensic considerations.. 19
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
MARCH 18-20, 2021
Forensic neuropsychological fitness for duty evaluation of healthcare professionals: Role of norms, aging, brain injury, and culture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021 4
THURSDAY, MARCH 18 (ALL TIMES PT) TIme
Class
Description
7:45-12:15 PM
CIVIL/JUVENILE ISSUES: 5 PRESENTATIONS (4 CE CREDITS)
8:00-8:45 AM
BEYOND DSM-5: THE FUTURE OF PSYCHIATRIC/PSYCHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSES Donna M. Veraldi, Ph.D. In 2009 the National Institute of Mental Health began a project to develop a research-based classification system for mental disorders. The Research Domain Criteria project (RDoC) sup-ports research to develop diagnoses based on underlying components, rather than clinical ob-servations. This ambitious project seeks to identify disorders by combining knowledge from genetic and epigentic research, along with information from neurosciences and behavioral ob-servation. This diagnostic system was not able to be incorporated into DSM-5 and will take more time to develop, but it should revolutionize our understanding of mental disorders and their treatment. The 7 pillars of RDoC will be discussed; DSM-5 will be compared and contrasted with the RDoC; research about the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders will be present-ed.—Donna Veraldi, Ph.D., in private practice in Billings, Montana for over 30 years, has been involved in a wide variety of forensic cases.
8:45-9:30 AM
CASE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURY CLAIMS William J. Koch, Ph.D. This presentation describes psychological injury claims from a diversity of contexts (MVAs, sexual assault, slip and fall) and addresses a variety of forensic issues (good old days bias, cultur-al differences on psychological tests, use of social media data in opinions). Relevant back-ground research will be reviewed. Attendees will be able to discuss: (a) psychological issues commonly arising from sexual assault, MVAs and slip and fall injuries; (b) reliability issues in autobiographical memory of personal injury claimants and the assessment of same; (c) ethical and practical issues in using social media data. —William J. Koch, Ph.D., ABPP is a clinical and forensic psychologist, specializing in the assessment and treatment of PTSD, anxiety disorders, and depression. He has published widely across trauma-related and anxiety disorders, and de-pression.
9:30-9:45 AM
Break
9:45-10:30 AM
UNFAIR TERMINATION AS CONSEQUENCE OF REPORTING WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT Inés Monguió, Ph.D. The majority of people harassed at work are women, but not all. Women tend to not report harassment, particularly if the harassment has sexual elements. Men and women alike face os-tracism, reprisal, and even termination after reporting the harassment. The effects on the psy-chological well being of a person who has been terminated unfairly as retaliation for reporting harassment can be devastating. This presentation will review relevant research, and delineate areas for the forensic psychologist to inquire and assess. Various cases will be offered to illus-trate the issues in this type of evaluation.—Inés Monguió, Ph.D. has been working in the foren-sic arena since 1990, with an emphasis in neuropsychology. She is in private practice in Ventu-ra, California
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
10:30-11:15
THE LIFE CYCLE OF SEX TRAFFICKING AND THE SEX TRAFFICKING OFFENDER PREVENTION (STOP) SCREENING MEASURE FOR JUVENILES Brenna Dee Tindall, MA, Psy.D. and Christian Gardner-Wood, J.D. This presentation will explore four intervention phases of the sex trafficking process in Colora-do (investigation, prosecution, evaluation, and treatment). Recently, Colorado prosecuted one of the most infamous traffickers in U.S. history, Brock Franklin, who received a sentence of over 500 years in prison. The advent of more sophisticated traffickers in Colorado has impelled improvements in preventative measures and development of a more thorough evaluation pro-cess. This presentation will: 1) discuss a new sex trafficking-specific evaluation protocol; 2) dis-cuss commonalities of sex traffickers in Colorado over the past few years; 3) present results of data from over 50 sex trafficker evaluations; and 4) introduce a possible juvenile screening tool.—Brenna Tindall, Psy.D., co-owner of Tindall, Bartels & Associates in Colorado, special-izes in forensic evaluations of individuals in the criminal justice system. Christian Gardner-Wood is a Senior Deputy District Attorney for the First Judicial District in Colorado, and is cur-rently the Human Trafficking Prosecutor for the First Judicial District.
11:15-11:30 AM
Break
11:30-12:15 PM
PARENTAL COMPETENCY TO WAIVE MIRANDA FOR A JUVENILE DEFENDANT: A CASE STUDY Rebecca Smith-Casey JD/PsyD
12:15-1:00 PM
Lunch Break
12:30-12:50 PM
Social Networking
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
MARCH 18-20, 2021
Utilizing a case study format the current presentation will analyze issues surrounding the com-petency of a parent with an intellectual disability to waive the Miranda rights of their juvenile child. The case study will focus on an evaluation requested by a public defender where the eval-uation focused on the question of whether the parent’s underlying developmental disability rendered the parent not competent to waive Miranda rights for his child, therefore rendering the Miranda waiver invalid. The presentation will consider means for conducting such an exam-ination, considerations for attorneys in examining the validity of waiver provided by parents with intellectual disabilities, and summarize the case at issue for illustrative purposes. —Rebecca Smith-Casey, JD/PsyD conducts psychosexual evaluations in Philadelphia, as well as working in private practice engaging in forensic evaluations. Dr. Smith-Casey is the author of the New Jersey Competency Assessment Tool (NJ-CAT).
5
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021 6
Time
Room 1
ROOM 2
1:00-4:15 PM
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/SEXUAL ABUSE: 4 PRESENTATIONS (3 CE CREDITS)
ASSESSMENTS: 4 PRESENTATIONS (3 CE CREDITS)
After attending the following 4 presentations in this session, the participant will be able to: 1) identify characteristics and risk factors associated with domestic abuse/filicide and escalation of violence, and identify legal and ethical obligations in reporting suspected domestic abuse; 2) describe the psychological profile of a maternal perpetrator of sexual abuse, and how it differs from other perpetrators of sexual abuse; 3) analyze sexual offense recidivism in a population of previously adjudicated sexually dangerous persons; 4) analyze issues surrounding the compe-tency of a parent with intellectual disability to waive the Miranda rights of their juvenile child.
After attending the following 4 presentations in this session, the participant will be able to: 1) introduce a framework for assessing the role racial microaggressions can play in police cross-racial lethal use of force encounters; 2) explain the importance of cultural considerations when assessing cases of alleged abuse of children; 3) describe the dynamics of consensual image shar-ing and how to assess impact on victims; 4) discuss the history of punishment and the theories underlying the effectiveness of punishment.
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
Time
Room 1
ROOM 2
1:00-1:45 PM
DOMESTIC/CHILD ABUSE AND FILICIDE; PARENTAL FITNESS EVALUATIONS: ETHICAL ISSUES AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES — PART 1
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGICAL ROLE IN SCREENING FOR RACIAL MICROAGGRESSIONS IN POLICE: AN ANTIRACISM PARADIGM
Elliot Atkins, Ed.D., Mark D. Ackerman, Ph.D., Valerie McClain, Psy.D., Michael T. Wiltsey, Ph.D.
Ronn Johnson, Ph.D.
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
MARCH 18-20, 2021
Police racial violence has not taken a backseat globally during Covid-19; there remains a very deep-seated psychocultural reality that thrives in This presentation will focus on policing even during a pandemic. identifying common factors in The judg-ments of police are critically parents who abuse and kill their important. Yet, high profile law children. Relevant literature enforcement incidents like the killings will be presented concerning of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor psychological characteristics and reinforce doubts about police mo-tives associated with child problem-solving capabilities in abuse and filicide. Guidelines conjunction with the overlay of for conducting psychological evaluations for parenting fitness will a pandemic and race. No police department wants to be perceived by be addressed to include providing the public as racist. Although a focus specific interview and appro-priate assessment tools. Case examples of on improving policing practices in filicide will be presented to illustrate diverse communities is welcome, it is long overdue. Racial microaggressions psychological characteristics activate aggra-vating factors that and risk factors that can be used compromise an officer’s ability to in prevention strategies based reflexively revert to training and departon review of APA guidelines for ment policies during their response reporting abuse. Attendees will be to scene management situations. able to identify: 1) characteristics This session discusses the forensic and risk fac-tors associated with psychological role that screening for domestic abuse/filicide and racial microaggressions can assume escalation of violence; 2) legal and in mitigating police decision-making ethical obli-gations in reporting challenges in working in diverse suspected domestic abuse; 3) appropriate assessment tools to use communities. This presentation will 1) provide an overview of the way in con-ducting parenting fitness COVID-19 combines with preexisting evaluations; and 4) mitigating decision making deficits during crossfactors relevant for sentencing. racial police scene management —Valerie R. McClain, Psy.D. is in situations; private practice in Tampa, Florida. 2) introduce a framework for assessing Elliot Atkins, Ed.D. is in pri-vate the role racial microaggressions can practice in Pennsylvania and New play in police cross-racial lethal use Jersey. Mark D. Ackerman, Ph.D. is of force encounters; 3) introduce a licensed psycholo-gist and holds faculty rank at Atlanta Department elements of a forensically-relevant selfreprogramming approach for racial miof Veterans Affairs and Emory croaggressions in police officers. University School of Medicine. — Ronn Johnson, Ph.D., ABPP Michael T. Wiltsey, Ph.D. is Director of the Center for Forensic Psycholo- is a tenured full professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Creighton gy at The Center for Emotional School of Medicine and Associate Health in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Dean for Diversi-ty and Inclusion. Concurrently, he is lead clinical psychologist at the Nebraska-Western Iowa VA Health Care System. He has worked with over 40 law enforcement agencies and conducted thousands for evaluations for police departments.
7
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021 8
1:45-2:30 PM
BLIND SPOTS: CHALLENGES IN EVALUATING AND NAVIGATING CASES OF MOTHER-DAUGHTER SEXUAL ABUSE
CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CHILD ABUSE ASSESSMENTS Hollida Wakefield
Different cultures have different standards concerning sexuality, nudity, age of marriage, family bathing and sleeping patterns, and corporal This presentation will explore the punishment of children. These personal and cultural biases that standards vary both between cultures contribute to the underre-porting and between time periods. Profound of mother-daughter sexual abuse, changes in areas such as age of consent and provide guidance on how to have occurred over time in the United evaluate alleged in-cidents within States, and in other countries and a broader conceptualization of sexual abuse. The profile of sexually cultures. Therefore, cultural factors need to be considered when assessing abusive mothers and their unique cases of alleged abuse of children. family dynamics will be explored, and research and case examples will Actual cases will be presented. —Hollida Wakefield is a forensic be presented. Attendees will learn psychologist in Northfield, Minnesohow to identify incidents of sexual ta, who has been involved in cases of abuse perpetrated by mothers alleged child sexual abuse since the against daughters, describe the middle 1980s, and has written books psychological profile of a maternal and articles on this topic. perpetrator, and explain the potential challenges of evaluating and navigating cases of motherdaughter sexual abuse in the legal system. —Dr. Christine Hatchard is an Associate Professor and Chair, and Dr. Jamie Goodwin-Uhler is a Specialist Professor at Monmouth University (NJ). They are principal investigators in the Clinical Psychology Research Center at Monmouth and have published and presented research on family dynamics and perceptions of abuse when the mother is the primary sexual perpetrator against her daughter. They are both psychologists in private practice. Christine Hatchard, Psy.D. and Jamie Goodwin-Uhler, Ph.D.
2:30-2:45 PM
Break
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
2:45-3:30 PM
LONGITUDINAL DATA ON SEXUAL OFFENSE RECIDIVISM IN A POPULATION PREVIOUSLY ADJUDICATED SEXUALLY DANGEROUS Joseph J. Plaud, Ph.D.
Michael J. Perrotti, Ph.D. The DSM-5 construct of PTSD is faulted in that target criteria are limited to being a victim of violence and witnessing violence. The construct fails to capture significant populations, e.g., refugees and victims of cyberbullying. With respect to the latter group, this author finds that they exhibit all of the cardinal symptoms of PTSD and/or complex PTSD. Transmitting inti-mate images of a victim without consent is a violent act and bears similarity to sexual assault. These victims experience shaming, loss of body boundaries and cyberbullying. Assessment of trauma and complex trauma, impact of cyberbullying, as well as treatment plans, will be dis-cussed. Attendees will also be exposed to the literature on the pitfalls of the DSM-5 construct of PTSD. The impact of this trauma changes these individuals’ lives forever. These indicators are deserving of our compassion and research efforts. —Michael J. Perrotti, Ph.D. is a clinical and forensic neuropsychologist in Brea, California, and author of peer-reviewed publications on assessment and treatment of PTSD. He has testified as an expert witness in cases of sexual assault and cyberbullying.
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
MARCH 18-20, 2021
One of the most hotly debated areas in clinical and forensic psychology and psychiatry concerns our ability to predict future sexual offending in light of sexual offender civil commitment laws in 20 states and within the federal government. This presentation will highlight updated out-come data collected during the past five plus years from men who were once civilly committed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as sexually dangerous persons and then released back to the community after either a jury trial or other administrative proceeding. The implications of this data set, including re-offense rates, public policy decisions and the role of forensic psy-chologists and psychiatrists will also be examined. In the end discussion will be given to the le-gitimacy of sexual offender civil commitment laws and practices given the outcome data on sex offender recidivism, even for men once deemed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to be the most dangerous sex offenders in the state.— Joseph J. Plaud, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Applied Behavioral Consultants, LLC in Providence, Rhode Island. Since 1987 he has con-ducted several hundred psychological, psychosexual, and psychophysiological assessments on suspected and convicted sexual offenders in inpatient, outpatient, and incarcerated settings.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN NONCONSENSUAL IMAGE SHARING, CYBERBULLYING AND SEXUAL ASSAULT: IMPLICATIONS FOR DSM-5 PTSD CONSTRUCT VALIDITY
9
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021 10
3:30-4:15 PM
IS SEXUAL CONTACT EVER CONSENSUAL WHEN THERE IS INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN A RELATIONSHIP? AN EVALUATION PROTOCOL TO ASSESS RISK IN CROSS-OVER SEX OFFENDER Brenna Dee Tindall, Psy.D. and Detective Sandra Campanella Intimate partner-sexual violence (IPSV) is a phenomenon that has become a problem affecting millions of Americans; yet, is sorely under-identified. Many who work with domestic violence offenders argue that sexual contact is never consensual in a domestic violence relationship. Re-grettably, domestic violence evaluations seldom include discussions of sexual risk factors. Simi-larly, sex offender evaluations often fail to address domestic violence history and risk factors. These “crossover” cases (both identified and non-identified) are conceptualized, assessed, and treated as separate issues, rather than interconnected issues requiring a distinctive lens. This presentation will offer a possible evaluation protocol that includes cross-over risk assessments, appropriate psychological assessments, and development of a case conceptualization that differentiates the risk for sex offending and domestic violence. —Brenna Tindall, Psy.D. was appointed by the Colorado Attorney General to the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board. Detective Sandra Campanella is assigned to the Longmont Police Department in Colorado Do-mestic Violence Unit. She testifies as an expert witness and is an instructor on the multidisci-plinary team with the Ending Violence Against Women project.
4:30-5:30 PM
DID YOU FEEL THE HEAT OR SEE THE LIGHT? William K. Marek, Ph.D. How about you? Did you change because you felt the heat or saw the light? Despite its ubiquity (not nearubiquity), we downplay the importance of punishment and make enlightened, prof-essorial statements about how the literature shows us that it “doesn’t work” and how much more effective other kinds of behavioral change can be. Contemporary scholarship on the his-tory and theory of punishment and what psychology, business, theology and sociology are say-ing about it will be reviewed. The progress of the author’s punishment study will also be dis-cussed. Attendees will be able to discuss the history of punishment and how that was reflected in the policies of human discourse, politics, business, interpersonal relations and legal systems. The relationships among punishment, its ubiquity, “seeing the light,” and psychological prac-tice will be investigated. —William K. Marek, Ph.D. is retired from the Federal Bureau of Pris-ons, and is currently in private practice and adjunct at California State University - East Bay, Napa Valley College and Central Michigan University.
Welcome Reception
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
FRIDAY, MARCH 19 (ALL TIMES PT) 7:15-7:45 AM
Social chat rooms - Chat with your colleagues and friends.
8:00-12:30 PM
ETHICS AND PRACTICE ISSUES (4 CE CREDITS) After attending the following 4 presentations in this session, the participant will be able to: 1) discuss negative impact and psychological harm to patient who has been involved in a sexual relationship with a therapist and the legal and ethical aspect of violation of sexual boundaries between therapist and patient; 2) recognize common logical fallacies and apply ethical decision making in response to logical fallacies in forensic cases; 3) discuss ways for attorneys and psy-chologists to address the actual observed rate of sexual recidivism during direct and cross exam-ination; 4) ) describe how to approach ethical and practice issues in practice and in court.
8:00-8:45 AM
SEXUALIZATION OF THE DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP: A LEGAL AND ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE Jamshid Marvasti, M.D. A romantic and sexual relationship between therapist and client is a violation of professional boundaries and has legal and ethical consequences. The negative impact and psychological harm to a patient due to sexual intimacy with a therapist and the psychological condition of therapists who violate their professional responsibility will be discussed. Multiple cases of doc-tor-patient sexual intimacy will be presented. Court procedure and state licensing disciplinary action will be explored. Cases in which a relationship began years after termination of therapy will be presented, along with the ethical and legal aspects of the cases. —Jamshid A. Marvasti, M.D. is a child and adult psychiatrist practicing at Prospect Manchester Hospital in Manches-ter, CT.
8:45-9:30 AM
DOMESTIC/CHILD ABUSE AND FILICIDE; PARENTAL FITNESS EVALUATIONS: ETHICAL ISSUES AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES —PART 2
This presentation will focus on identifying common factors in parents who abuse and kill their children. Relevant literature will be presented concerning psychological characteristics and mo-tives associated with child abuse and filicide. Guidelines for conducting psychological evalua-tions for parenting fitness will be addressed to include providing specific interview and appropriate assessment tools. Case examples of filicide will be presented to illustrate psychological characteristics and risk factors that can be used in prevention strategies based on review of APA guidelines for reporting abuse. Attendees will be able to identify: 1) characteristics and risk fac-tors associated with domestic abuse/filicide and escalation of violence; 2) legal and ethical obli-gations in reporting suspected domestic abuse; 3) appropriate assessment tools to use in con-ducting parenting fitness evaluations; and 4) mitigating factors relevant for sentencing. —Valerie R. McClain, Psy.D. is in private practice in Tampa, Florida. Elliot Atkins, Ed.D. is in pri-vate practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Mark D. Ackerman, Ph.D. is a licensed psycholo-gist and holds faculty rank at Atlanta Department of Veterans Affairs and Emory University School of Medicine. Michael T. Wiltsey, Ph.D. is Director of the Center for Forensic Psycholo-gy at The Center for Emotional Health in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. 9:30-9:45 AM
Break
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
MARCH 18-20, 2021
Elliot Atkins, Ed.D., Mark D. Ackerman, Ph.D., Valerie McClain, Psy.D., Michael T. Wiltsey, Ph.D.
11
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021 12
9:45-10:45 AM
TARASOFF, AND DUTY TO WARN; MENENDEZ AND WHEN A THERAPIST (OR ATTORNEY) IS THREATENED, AND LIMITS OF CONFIDENTIALITY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND LAW Jerry L. Brittain, Ph.D., Professor Eleanor Morales, J.D., Alex Boros The 1969 murder of Tatiana Tarasoff in California resulted in two cases where the State Su-preme Court weighed in on confidentiality when a patient threatens to harm another person. The 1974 court decision famously mandated that a therapist has a duty to warn an intended vic-tim. This case was appealed and reheard in 1976. The court then mandated that a treating thera-pist also had a duty to protect. In a separate California case, brothers Lyle and Eric Menendez were arrested and tried for the 1989 murder of their wealthy parents. Their first separate trials ended in hung juries. Their second trial in 1994 ended with both being convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The older brother threatened the life of a psychologist who was treating the younger brother. Like the Tarasoff case, this changed state law and the APA code of ethics, which says a therapist can terminate therapy if he/she is threatened. As not all states have a Tar-asoff statute, the didactics will focus on the four “prongs” of a Tarasoff intervention, and what a therapist can do if a state does not have a statute covering such behavior. Discussion will focus on limits of confidentiality in mental health and in law. —Jerry L. Brittain, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist currently living in North Carolina. Dr. Brittain works at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, in Winston Salem, N.C. Professor Eleanor Morales, J.D. is a law professor at Wake Forest Law School..
10:45-12:30 PM FORENSIC SKILLS WORKSHOP: THE ROLE OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LITIGATION Dr. Elliot Atkins, Elizabeth Kelley, J.D., Thomas Haworth, Ph.D., Valerie R. McClain, Psy.D., John H. White, Ph.D. This forensic skills forum will focus on issues in civil and criminal law that interface with psy-chology and expert testimony by psychologists. This is an interactive session involving modera-tor, panelists and audience on advanced ethical and practice issues confronting the forensic psychologist. Vignettes submitted to the panel by practicing forensic psychologists will be read aloud and discussed. The vignettes describe problems and experiences that forensic psycholo-gists often confront in their practices and in court. Attendees will be exposed to a wide variety of forensic cases and problems in civil and criminal areas. —Dr. Elliot Atkins (Moderator) is in private practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Elizabeth Kelley is a criminal defense attorney who specializes in representing individuals with mental illness, as well as individuals with intel-lectual disabilities. Thomas F. Haworth, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Valerie R. McClain, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Tampa, Florida. John H. White, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at Stockton University in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 12:30-1:15 PM
Lunch Break
12:45-1:05 PM
Social Networking
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
1:15-4:35 PM
MURDER/CAPITAL PUNISHMENT (3 CE CREDITS) After attending the following 4 presentations in this session, the participant will be able to: 1) list the neuropsychological and sociological contributors to mass murder, and explain behaviors that may warn others that someone is about to attempt to commit a mass murder ; 2) identify issues related to the use of self-report, selection of respondents, questions, collateral infor-mation, and clinical judgment in adaptive functioning evaluations of immigrants facing the death penalty; 3) discuss how a formulation based in affective neuroscience may better explain rape and serial murder than DSM-5 diagnoses; 4) plan what the role of a psychologist should be when faced with a situation where a client poses a threat to an individual who may be harmed by a client or patient.
1:15-2:00 PM
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY OF MASS MURDER John H. White, Ph.D. Mass murders are especially terrifying because victims are targeted by where they happen to be at the time, not who they are or what their relationship is to the killer. Victims could be sitting in church or a movie theatre, attending a concert or gathered in a school. Since 1966, there have been at least 165 public mass shootings killing almost 2,000 people. The deadliest mass shootings have occurred the past 10 years. These numbers do not include mass murders in families, robberies, or gang violence. What makes a person want to kill as many strangers as he/she can? Is it a brain disorder, or does the environment contribute to these horrendous acts? What are the red flags that could possibly identify potential mass shooters? The neuropsychological and sociological contributors to mass murder and behaviors that may warn others that someone is about to attempt to commit a mass murder will be addressed. —John H. White, Ph.D. is a for-mer Dallas Police Investigator Sergeant who was assigned to Patrol, Psychological Services, In-ternal Affairs, and the Fugitive and Special Investigations Unit. He is currently a Professor of Psychology at Stockton University in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
2:00-2:45 PM
Diomaris E. Safi, Psy.D The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against applying the death penalty to individuals with ID (Atkins v. Virginia, 2002). Current ID guidelines emphasize the need to determine severity of impair-ment based on adaptive functioning (AF) rather than IQ test scores alone (APA, 2013). As-sessing AF in immigrants is a challenge because their cultural backgrounds are different than those of measure standardization samples. Often, capital defendants are also raised in impover-ished areas with limited access to documentation, complicating compiling a social history. We present a case study of a Mexican national seeking exemption from capital punishment. We of-fer a framework for understanding what can be determined and judging the quality of an AF evaluation. —Dr. Safi is a licensed psychologist specializing in neuropsychological and forensic evaluations. She has worked with civil and criminal attorneys on state and federal cases in the U.S. and Mexico. 2:45-3:00 PM
Break
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
MARCH 18-20, 2021
ADAPTIVE FUNCTIONING EVALUATIONS OF FOREIGN NATIONALS FACING CAPITAL PUNISHMENT: DISTINCTIVE ISSUES
13
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021 14
3:00-3:45 PM
DISORGANIZED ATTACHMENT, COMPLEX TRAUMA, AND PATHOLOGICAL DISSOCIATION IN A SERIAL MUR-DERER Francis Abueg, Ph.D., BCETS Andrew Urdiales confessed to killing eight women, three in Illinois and five in California, be-tween 1988 and 1996. He was sentenced to death in Illinois but his sentence was commuted to life without parole when the death penalty was abolished in that state. He was extradited to California to face another death penalty trial. Fourteen forensic psychiatric and psychological evaluations were reviewed for this trial in addition to voluminous discovery and novel family history data. Emergent themes included evidence of disorganized attachment, Tourette’s Syn-drome, fetal alcohol syndrome, complex PTSD and pathological dissociation. A forensic case formulation will integrate these data from a cross-cutting, affective neuroscience perspec-tive. —Francis Abueg, Ph.D., BCETS is a psychologist and owner of TraumaResource: Clinical and Forensic Psychology in Sunnyvale and Cupertino, California.
3:45-4:35 PM
SHINING LIGHT ON THE DARK FIGURE OF SEXUAL RECIDIVISM Brian R. Abbott, Ph.D. Sexual recidivism actuarial measures have been criticized for having a poor fit to the legally de-fined sexual reoffense criteria necessary to justify the civil confinement of sexually violent predators. This session will critically examine attempts to estimate the actual observed sexual reoffense rate unconstrained by official reporting sources with an emphasis on a statistical model published by Scurich and John (2018). Participants will be able to describe the major attempts to account for undetected sexual recidivism and the flaws in these models; analyze the efficacy of the Monte Carlo simulation model to produce valid actual observed sexual recidi-vism rates; and discuss ways for attorneys and psychologists to address the actual observed rate of sexual recidivism during direct and cross examination. —Brian R. Abbott, Ph.D., a clinician, forensic evaluator, author, researcher, and trainer in the area of child sexual abuse, child abuse and neglect, has performed more than 2,000 forensic evaluations for criminal, civil, dependency, and family courts.
SATURDAY, MARCH 20 (ALL TIMES PT) 7:15-7:45 AM
Social Networking
8:00-12:30 PM
COMPETENCY/FORENSIC EVALUATIONS AND ASSESSMENTS: 5 PRESENTATIONS (4 CE CREDITS) After attending the following 5 presentations in this session, the participant will be able to: 1) discuss the implications of special education history in the context of legal proceedings with attorneys; 2) describe a collaborative approach in custody cases between the evaluator, the ex-pert (e.g., educational psychologist), and the attorney, particularly in move away and parent fitness cases; 3) identify the components of a neuropsychological fitness for duty evaluation; 4) discuss ethical issues and best practices in competency evaluations when amnesia is claimed; 5) list and describe literature and case law discussing neuroscience techniques applied where com-petence is at issue
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
8:00-8:45 AM
SPECIAL EDUCATION HISTORY: IMPLICATIONS FOR FORENSIC ASSESSMENT Rebecca Smith-Casey JD/PsyD It is estimated that at least one in three people arrested in the U.S. has a history of special edu-cation, with others estimating that upwards of 70% of those arrested have a special education history, ranging from learning disabilities to emotional disabilities. In the context of forensic assessment, issues related to learning disabilities can have wide ranging implications for how a forensic evaluation is conducted, including the appropriateness of various measures and issues related to competency, particularly for waiver of Miranda. This presentation will highlight con-siderations for conducting a forensic evaluation for an individual who discloses a history of spe-cial education, means of gaining collateral information, alternative measures, implications for communication, and implications for juvenile defendants. —Rebecca Smith-Casey, JD/PsyD is a certified school psychologist and licensed clinical psychologist who presently conducts psy-chosexual evaluations in Philadelphia, as well as working in private practice engaging in forensic evaluations.
8:45-9:30 AM
THE HOW, WHAT AND WHY OF EDUCATION RELATED OPINION MAKING FOR CUSTODY EVALUATORS, COURTS, AND ATTORNEYS Mark Burdick, Ph.D., AFBsS and Jonathan Gould, Ph.D., ABPP
9:30-9:45 AM
Break
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
MARCH 18-20, 2021
The custody evaluator (CE) is instructed by courts to serve the “best interests of the child.” The CE must give ample consideration to parent personality, time shared with child, and education and therapeutic needs. However, education needs are often passed to the duty of the parent, ignoring the needs of the child, and creating an incomplete custody evaluation. Enter the edu-cational psychologist (LEP); board licensed and trained to work through the learning (excep-tional or typical), behavioral, social requirements of the child. LEPs exist in the U.S. and UK, and work in private practice and with school districts and agencies to meet the education and treatment needs of children. How the LEP collaborates with evaluators to significantly improve custody and court opinions will be demonstrated. —Mark Burdick, Ph.D., AFBsS is an expert in education and psychological matters before courts in the U.S. and UK. Jonathan Gould is a board certified forensic psychologist who provides consultation, work-product review, litigation support, and other forensic psychological activities to attorneys across the country.
15
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021 16
9:45-10:30 AM
NEUROSCIENCE AND COMPETENCE TO STAND TRIAL: A LAWYER’S LITERATURE John Philipsborn, M.Ed., J.D., MAS Academics focused on the relationship between neuroscience and the courts have pointed out that the assessment of competence to stand trial is one area in which there has been an evident interest in the use of neuroscience techniques including brain imaging (both structural and functional). This presentation will review both recent literature and court rulings that combine to explain how and why some of the techniques associated with neuroscience are being dis-cussed as worthy of consideration in competence assessments. Attendees will be able to discuss the context in which courts have examined the utility of neuroscience-based evidence as cor-roborating the need for concern about an individual’s competence to stand trial. Attendees will be able to explain the reasoning behind the interest that courts and lawyers may have in obtain-ing guidance on competence questions that may call for input from neuroscientists. —John Philipsborn has practiced criminal defense law for more than 40 years. He has litigated many complex cases both at trial and in reviewing courts including capital and non-capital homicide cases. He had figured as counsel of record, or as amicus counsel, in more than 90 decisions of reviewing courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court and the California Supreme Court.
10:30-11:15 AM
FORENSIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL FITNESS FOR DUTY EVALUATION OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: ROLE OF NORMS, AGING, BRAIN INJURY, AND CULTURE Amir Ramezani, Ph.D. The presentation will describe the elements of fitness for duty (FFD) evaluation of healthcare professionals, and forensic consideration. The presentation outlines the role of forensic psy-chologists and neuropsychologists in helping to answer basic questions about fitness, capacity, head injury/mild traumatic brain injury, and a functional workrelated task. Limitations of tests, norms, aging, and cultural factors are also highlighted. Participants will be able to 1) iden-tify the components of a neurocognitive fitness for duty evaluation; 2) describe how to compare cognitive test results in relation to premorbid functioning and use of normative data; 3) describe how culture, age, education, and brain injury/mild TBI play a role in decision making about a professional’s ability to competently work. —Dr. Amir Ramezani is a Neuropsycholo-gist/Associate Clinical Professor, and Director of the Neuropsychology & Health Psychology Training Program at the University of California, Davis.
11:15-11:30
Break
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
11:30-12:30 PM
WHY MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS SHOULD NOT EVALUATE CERTAIN TYPES OF CRIMINAL COMPETENCY: ISN’T THAT THE JUDGE’S JOB? Marc L. Zimmermann, Ph.D., MP, Daniel P. Greenfield, M.D., Edward J. Dougherty Ed.D. A position endorsed by some early contemporary forensic psychiatry practitioners held that “…forensic experts are out of their element in entering into the moral and legal dimensions of the adversarial system and, therefore, should not be there in the first place…” While we do not ourselves fully agree with that position, we do agree that under some conditions in criminal competency assessments—evaluees who claim memory loss, actual or feigned—such assess-ments should be left to the lawyers and the judges, and not to forensic mental health practi-tioners. Best practices in competency evaluations when amnesia is claimed, and how to deal with the ethics in decision making when data is dubious will be discussed. —Marc L. Zimmer-mann, Ph.D., MP has worked with the courts in providing competency evaluations for juvenile and adult defendants in multiple jurisdictions. Daniel P. Greenfield, M.D. has been working in forensic psychiatry for more than 30 years. Edward J. Dougherty Ed.D. is a forensic psychologist with more than 30 years of experience. Drs. Greenfield and Dougherty have provided compe-tency evaluations in multiple jurisdictions.
12:30-1:15 PM
Break
12:45-1:45 PM
Social Networking
1:15-4:30 PM
COMPETENCY/FORENSIC EVALUATIONS AND ASSESSMENTS (3 CE CREDITS)
1:15-2:00 PM
AMNESIA IMPLICATION IN CRIMINAL COMPETENCY EVALUATIONS Robert Meyer, Ph.D. The presentation will discuss the impact of amnesia and memory lapse impact on fitness to stand trial evaluations. The Dusky standard for competency will be covered and People v. Schwartz (1985) will be reviewed. Memory problems related to head trauma, substance abuse, dementia and other forms of encephalopathy will be reviewed. A 2019 murder trial in which the issue of fitness was raised because of the defendant’s partial memory impairment will be discussed. How memory impairments impact the functional requirements of competency, how memory impairments are detected, and appropriate procedures to detect malingering of memory difficulties will be discussed. —Robert Meyer, Ph.D. is chief clinical psychologist for the Mather’s Clinics, and adjunct professor of forensic psychology at Walden University.
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
MARCH 18-20, 2021
After attending the following 4 presentations in this session, the participant will be able to: 1)) discuss how memory impairments impact the functional requirements of competency; 2) ex-plain clinical and assessment findings in a current population of qualifying relatives in deporta-tion cases; 3) summarize interrogation and defendant characteristics which can impact competency; 4) discuss the utility of a multi-element support plan in decreasing the frequency of re-cidivism for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
17
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021 18
2:00-2:45 PM
ASSESSMENTS OF CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS ARE IN DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS: CLINICAL DATA EVIDENCES A WORSENING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS ATYPICAL OF PEERS Megan B. Seltz, Ph.D. This presentation concerns the adverse psychological effects on families in deportation pro-ceedings known as Cancellation of Removal (COR). The qualifying relatives, usually children, are referred to me to help explain the hardship they would suffer in the event of a deportation. During the Spring and Summer of 2019, clinical and assessment indicators were noteworthy for initial clinical impressions of worsening psychopathology in the children. Three groups were evaluated and evidenced a range of psychopathology and other indicators of clinical concern, including self-injurious behavior, hospitalizations, and need to outreach schools and pediatri-cians. Generally, these children evinced distress atypical of their same-age peers. —Dr. Megan Seltz is a bilingual clinical psychologist in private practice in New York City. The practice is de-voted to evaluation and treatment of forensic cases, and people with complicated clinical presentations.
2:45-3:00 PM
Break
3:00-3:45 PM
INSTITUTIONAL ALTERNATIVES FOR ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM Lori Ann Dotson, Ph.D. Challenges related to the assessment of, and treatment planning for, individuals in the criminal justice system with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are many. A Comprehen-sive Functional Assessment (CFA) can assist us in understanding the meaning(s) of an individu-al’s behavior and can serve as the foundation for developing a multi-element behavior support plan (MEBS) that has the greatest likelihood of decreasing problem behavior to maintain the individual’s safety as well as that of the community, and to assist the individual in developing the necessary prosocial behaviors to create and maintain a valued community role. —Dr. Lori Ann Dotson is Director of Preventative Services at the Institute for Applied Behavior Analysis. Dr. Dotson has over 25 years of experience working with individuals and families impacted by substance abuse, mental health challenges and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities.
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
3:45-4:30 PM
ASSESSING COMPETENCY TO WAIVE MIRANDA RIGHTS: CONCEPTUAL AND FORENSIC CONSIDERATIONS James W. Schutte, Ph.D. and Christopher W. Schutte The assessment of competency to waive Miranda rights is an area in which forensic psycholo-gists can contribute, either through academic testimony or by an assessment of the defendant. Competency assessment in this area requires an examination of the particulars of the interroga-tion, as well as consideration of defendant characteristics, such as age, intelligence, oral and reading comprehension, and psychotic or neurodevelopmental diagnoses which have the po-tential to impair competency in this area. Attendees will be able to describe case law addressing competency to waive Miranda rights, will learn of the interrogation and defendant characteris-tics which can impact competency, will learn to develop an effective assessment of the defend-ant, and will receive suggestions for effective defense of one’s conclusions in this matter. —James W. Schutte, Ph.D. is a bilingual psychologist in private practice in El Paso, Texas. He has performed numerous assessments of competency to waive Miranda rights. Christopher W. Schutte is a student at Brown University.
MARCH 18-20, 2021
HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
19
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2021 20
HOSTED BY
Should any questions or problems arrive during the conference, a Live Chat feature is available on the Symposium website (can be found at the bottom right corner) HOSTED BY ACFP & FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY or you can email acfp@fielding.edu.