Forensic

The mission of the Forensic Interest Group is to provide a group within SPA that is dedicated to promoting training, standards, and interest in forensic psychology, to support forensic psychology presentations at the SPA annual conventions, continuing education workshops and webinars, and to encourage forensically-relevant publications in the Journal of Personality Assessment. Our activities are within the scope of SPA’s overall mission of the ethical practice of assessment psychology. We welcome new members. We disseminate our work to the overall SPA membership and to the Board.

Welcome Letter 

We invite you to join us at the Forensic Interest Group (FIG). The Forensic Interest Group has been active for over 10 years and has produced or facilitated a number of workshops and seminars on forensic topics, such as:  

• Forensic Evaluation of Domestic Violence
• Violence Risk Assessment in Adolescents (a Keynote Lecture)
• Child Custody Evaluation
• The Media and Forensic Psychology
• Clinical and Forensic Evaluation of Psychological Trauma
• Forensic Evaluation in Practice: Case Studies
• Forensic Assessment in Immigration Court
• Predicting and Preventing Violent Attacks
• The Perks and Perils of Forensic Practice
• Starting and Maintaining a Forensic Assessment Practice
• Ethics in Forensic Psychology

We have also organized invited speakers on forensic topics.  For example, SPA’s keynote speaker, Robert Hare, presented on the evaluation of Psychopathy at our FIG meeting.

The members of FIG practice in various areas of forensic psychological assessment, including Child Custody, Civil, Criminal, Immigration, and Child Abuse and Neglect. Several members also teach forensic psychological assessment. Many have authored books that you may find useful in your practice.

Senior members of FIG are open to consultation and our areas of expertise can be found in the membership directory. We are also offering a mentorship program where you can select one SPA advanced member and have a regular relationship for supervision, or just discuss your specific case issues.  

We meet annually at the SPA Convention and this provides an opportunity to meet others in SPA with an interest in forensic psychology.

We welcome your interest, your involvement, and your ideas.

Goals

1. Emphasize the role of training and ethics in the practice of forensic psychology.
2. Facilitate members’ presentations, workshops, or webinars for SPA.
3. Support forensically-relevant publications in the Journal of Personality Assessment.
4. Encourage multi-method assessment in forensic psychology.
5. Create a supportive community within SPA for members who teach, do research, or practice in forensic psychology.
6. Create an inclusive environment for early career psychologists.
7. Develop forensic resources for members
8. Welcome new members of SPA and FIG

Meeting Info 

We meet yearly at the annual conference and hope to provide additional “meet-ups” and opportunities as possible throughout the year.

Resources

The link for our group is: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13587551