Psych-Legal Rebuttal Letter (Lifer Hearing)

WHY do a Psychological rebuttal letter?

Based on a September 2011 Standford Law School Research (see Legal links Standford Research) of nearly 450 Board of Parole hearings Lifer Suitability they found that Scores of psychological examinations administered to predict recidivism risk and inmate psychological stability are significantly correlated with the grant rate. Inmates who receive an average score or higher on these exams virtually never receive parole release.

SERVICE SUMMARY: I work with several Independent Forensic Psychologists. Our law office will have one of them review the Forensic Assessment Division’s (FAD) Psychological Report and find “technical” errors committed by the BOARD (FAD) psychologists . Our past experience indicates that the FAD psychologists base their opinions on very subjective and unmeasurable things such as “insight” and “remorse,” and emphasize what they think is important.  This is known as “clinical judgment” which many years of scientific research indicate it produces poor results. Because of their non-evidence based opinions, among others, we find many errors in their reports.

In contrast, the independent Forensic Psychologist we assign to your case has a great deal of experience conducting Psychological Assessments. The Forensic Psychologists' approach is based on scientific research and what is known about violence risk prediction rather than the personal opinions offered by the FAD psychologists. We will send you a formal "Rebuttal Letter" that will provide the inmate with specific, scientifically-based information about what the FAD psychologist got wrong when they evaluated the inmate.  

Based on the Psychologist’s Rebuttal Letter and Attorney Letarte’s extensive legal experience with Parole Suitability Hearings along with her Masters in Forensic Psychology,  it makes her a very strong advocate  to represent the inmate. Furthermore, "factual” errors may also be addressed during the BOARD hearing (i.e. “on the record”), when deemed appropriate by the attorney.

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DOCUMENTS NEEDED:

1) Prior psychological evaluation reports
2) Lifer Parole Evaluation by the Counselor (a.k.a.  Board Report)
3) List Errors with page #, Paragraph #  and the Explanation of why it is an error and what  is needed to Correct the error. (provide the appropriate documents for the explanation)