When an individual is charged with a criminal offense, his or her mental heath, mental status and/or cognitive ability may be a factor when determining the sentence. A psychological assessment for legal proceedings is a comprehensive report based on clinical observations, interviews, a review of relevant documents, administration of various psychological assessment tools and, if necessary, interviews with other important individuals (i.e., family members).

Depending on the outcome of the assessment, the psychologist may be required to testify in court on the impact the client’s impairments on the criminal act.