FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY CONSULTANTS

Forensic Psychiatry is a branch of medicine concerned with the intersection of mental health and the legal system. Practice involves scientific and clinical expertise that is applied to legal and administrative issues in contexts involving civil, criminal, and correctional matters.

Forensic psychiatrists are specifically trained to provide consultation on psychiatric issues relevant to the law for individuals or third parties such as the courts, lawyers, employers, correctional institutions, and other institutions.

Forensic psychiatrists maintain a clinical role in their treatment work but when interacting with the legal system, they act in a different role as a forensic assessor or evaluator. It is in the forensic assessment role, that a forensic psychiatrist provides evidence-based opinions and clinical expertise to civil, criminal, or correctional matters.

Forensic psychiatrists assess plaintiffs or evaluees by direct examination and by gathering collateral information. They may select, administer, or interpret specialized scales or tools. They develop a formulation of the case, apply jurisprudence, and produce medicolegal reports of their findings. They provide testimony in legal settings, including courts and tribunals.

Forensic psychiatrists have expertise in the assessment and treatment of special populations, including young offenders, sexual offenders and violent offenders.

UBC FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY TRAINING SITE

The forensic psychiatry consultants in the Broadway Forensic Group provide teaching, training, and supervision to University of British Columbia psychiatry residents. Consequently, the Courts, lawyers, and other parties making referrals to the Broadway Forensic Group, should be aware that we routinely make requests for our Resident Doctors to join and observe Plaintiff or Evaluee interviews occurring at our office location or by video assessment.