Forensic Psychology

---

Forensic Psychology Services include comprehensive, independent and impartial forensic psychological assessment reports for individual adult clients (aged 18+ years) involved in criminal court matters and/or civil legal matters, some clinical forensic psychological treatment services, and forensic psychology consulting work. 

Dr Butrus has experience performing independent forensic psychological assessments and writing forensic psychological reports, medico-legal reports and court reports.

Referrals for forensic psychological assessment reports are accepted only from lawyers or government agencies. Dr Butrus will also accept some referrals from Victoria Legal Aid (upon enquiry).

Please use this ENQUIRY FORM FOR FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT REPORTS to submit your specific enquiry about a potential referral for a forensic psychological assessment report and to obtain a quote. Please note: Dr Butrus is not able to perform urgent assessments.

Referrals will be considered for the following types of forensic psychological assessment reports regarding the mental functioning of adult offenders for criminal court matters:

• Plea hearings and pre-sentence mitigation (comprehensive independent forensic psychological assessment reports for court addressing issues about mental health/offending and principles relevant to sentencing such as Verdins, Bugmy and Brown)
• General offending risk assessment (e.g., driving, theft, deception, breaches, drug/alcohol etc)
• Drug/alcohol-related offending assessment
• Violence risk assessment
• Family violence offending risk assessment
• Stalking behaviour risk assessment
• Sexual offending risk assessment
• Detention and Supervision Order (Victoria) clinical forensic psychological assessment
• Personality disorder assessment
• Deception, feigning or malingering
• Mental impairment defence
• Fitness to plead.

Forensic psychological assessments for criminal court matters typically involve: 

• an interview with the client lasting at least 3 hours; 
• psychometric testing that may include diagnostic/personality assessments and use of risk assessment tools for violent, sexual, stalking, and/or general re-offending as required; 
• reading file material and documents; 
• speaking with collateral sources of information, such as a client’s family member; and
• writing an independent forensic psychological assessment report that may be used in criminal courts (forensic psychologist report). 

The fee for a forensic psychological assessment report for criminal court matters will vary depending on the type of assessment that is required and payment is required in order to secure the booking.

The indicative timeframe for the release of a completed report is typically within or about 4 weeks from the date of the assessment, where possible.

Referrals will be considered for the following types of forensic psychological assessment reports for adults involved in civil legal matters:

• Diagnostic/personality/mental health assessments for civil legal matters
• Psychological assessments and medico-legal reports for psychological injury claims
• Psychological assessment of an individual parent/caregiver involved in child access, Family Court and/or Child Protection matters (not full family reports)
• Deception, feigning or malingering
• Psychological assessment and opinion for tribunals, investigative bodies and professional boards.

Forensic psychological assessments for civil legal matters typically involve: 

• an interview with the client lasting at least 3 hours; 
• psychometric testing that may include diagnostic/personality assessments if relevant and use of risk assessment tools if relevant; 
• reading file material and documents; 
• speaking with collateral sources of information, such as a client’s family member; and 
• writing an independent forensic psychological assessment report that may be used in civil courts and/or tribunals. 

The fee for a forensic psychological assessment report for civil legal matters will vary depending on the type of assessment that is required and payment is required in order to secure the booking.

The indicative timeframe for the release of a completed report is typically within or about 4 weeks from the date of the assessment, where possible.

Dr Butrus has extensive experience in the clinical forensic psychological assessment and treatment of offenders and prisoners in Victoria, particularly female offenders and also offenders presenting with complex issues pertaining to complex/severe personality disorder, trauma, general offending behaviour, violence, and self-harming behaviours. 

Dr Butrus can provide some clinical forensic psychological treatment services including but not limited to:

• Specialised clinical forensic psychological assessment and offence-specific treatment of offenders with some specific offending behaviours (upon enquiry) including: forensic personality disorder, violence, stalking, repetitive/impulsive/compulsive behaviours and general offending behaviours
• Clinical forensic psychological treatment and/or consultation advice to agencies about complex offenders with personality disorder and/or behaviours of concern, such as self-harming or violent behaviour (upon enquiry)
• Court-ordered mental health assessment and treatment for offenders with some specific mental health issues, including for offenders who are on a Community Corrections Order or Parole Order (upon enquiry)
• Clinical forensic psychological treatment and consultations for individuals and professionals accused of misconduct by tribunals, investigative bodies and/or professional boards (upon enquiry)
• Clinical forensic psychological treatment of an individual parent/caregiver as part of child access, family law and/or Child Protection matters ("reportable therapy").

Clinical Forensic Psychological Treatment Reports that summarise treatment progress in a course of reportable treatment can also be provided for a fee and may be used for court and/or for submission to the professional decision-making body.

Enquiries about clinical forensic psychological treatment services are only accepted from lawyers or government agencies. Please use the Contact Form to submit your enquiry about clinical forensic psychological treatment services.

Please note: Dr Butrus has limited availability to accept new referrals for clinical forensic psychological treatment.

Forensic Psychology consulting work is varied, including but not limited to:

• Psychological assessment and opinion for tribunals, investigative bodies and professional boards
• Forensic psychology consulting work, such as reviewing and providing psychological opinions about documents, file material and/or providing advice on investigations, prosecutions and witness behaviours
• Forensic psychological autopsies.

Enquiries about forensic psychology consulting work are only accepted from lawyers or government agencies. Please use the Contact Form to submit your enquiry about forensic psychology consulting work.